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Second Series. 



SELECTIONS AND PRAYERS 



DOMESTIC WORSHIP. 



Blest 

The home where God is felt. 

Hem an s 







B O STON: 
WALKER, WISE, AND COMPANY. 

245 Washington Street. 
18 6 2. 



2 






according to Act of Congress, in the year 1862, by 
Walker, Wise, and Company, 
in the Clerk"s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. 



J. I S° 2. ^ 



University press.- 

Welch, Bigelow, and Company, 

Cambridge. 



Introduction. 



IT can hardly be necessary, in view of the constant 
demand for books of this class, to demonstrate their 
utility and desirableness, or to apologize for adding one 
more to the number. 

The marked favor with which the First Series of the 
" Altar at Home " has been received has induced the 
Editor of the present volume to adopt the general plan 
of that work. 

Many, who have regularly used the " Altar " since its 
publication, have expressed a wish for a new series of 
Selections and Prayers, those in the former series, 
necessarily limited in number, having become somewhat 
trite from frequent repetition. 

While in the present volume the general plan and 
arrangement of the former issue have been preserved, 
experience has suggested a few alterations, which it is 
believed will be generally esteemed as improvements. 

The introductory Selections, designed to be read in 



iv INTRODUCTION. 

alternation by the members of the family, have been 
somewhat extended, while the Prayers are generally 
shorter. 

The Selections have been made, not exclusively from 
the Scriptures, but there have been interwoven some of 
the wise, devout, and elevating thoughts of a few of the 
purest and most holy men whose existence has blessed 
the world. 

The aim has been to make these Selections of a practi- 
cal character ; not simply pious ejaculations, or passages 
expressive of admitted truths, but those calculated to 
awaken attention, to produce conviction, to stimulate, to 
console, to strengthen. 

They have been carefully chosen, and so arranged as 
to follow one another naturally, and be in some sense 
responsive to each other. 

The verse of Sacred Poetry which introduces each 
service, and is designed to be read by the head of the 
family, or sung by the members of the family when 
practicable, has been selected as embodying the spirit of 
the Selections following; to strike the key-note, as it were, 
of the entire service. 

The Prayers have been written by a number of clergy- 
men, generally well known in this community, whose 
names, alphabetically arranged, are given on another 
page, and to whom the Editor desires to acknowledge his 



INTRODUCTION. v 

great indebtedness for the essential service rendered him 
in his laborious and delicate task. 

The Prayers having been contributed with special 
reference to the respective services of which they form 
part, it is believed that a unity of spirit throughout each 
entire service has been thereby secured, which could not 
have been attained in any other way. 

Another alteration will be noticed in the present 
series. Instead of dividing the Selections into morning 
and evening services, it has been thought best to append 
a morning and evening Prayer to each Selection. 

Few families, if any, it is believed, use the book for 
both morning and evening worship, hence, in the former 
series, one half the Selections were unavailable. By the 
present arrangement, every Selection, except the few 
designated as " Special," may be used by every family, 
whether they observe domestic worship statedly at the 
commencement or at the close of the day. And still fur- 
ther, as, in most instances, the omission of a word or two, 
or some equally slight change, will make it possible to 
use the morning and evening Prayers interchangeably, 
the scope of the volume is thereby materially enlarged. 

As the First Series of the " Altar at Home " con- 
tains ample selections for the use of the closet, together 
with the ancient Collects of the Church and a number of 
Litanies, it has been thought best to exclude those fea- 
b 



vi INTRODUCTION. 

tures from the present work, in order to afford more space 
for the regular Morning and Evening and Special Ser- 
vices ; the practical usefulness of the volume depending, 
it is believed, upon the extent and variety of these Ex- 
ercises. 

With this brief Introduction, the Editor submits the 

volume to the acceptance of those for whom it has been 

prepared, with an earnest hope that it may prove helpful 

to many households. 

J. P. W. 

Jamaica Plain, May, 1862. 



Contents. 



MORNING AND EVENING PRAYERS. 

PAGE 

I. Domestic Love and Unity 1 

II. Against Worldly-Mindedness .... 5 

HI. The Goodness of God 9 

IV. Personal Pdsty 14 

V. Active Virtue .19 

VI. Confession of Sin 23 

VII. The Brevity of Life 28 

VIII. Seeing God in his Works . . . . . 33 

IX. The Voice Within , 37 

X. Bearing the Cross 41 

XI. Aspiration . . » 45 

XII. Good Kesolutions 49 

Xni. Thy Kingdom come 53 

XIV. A Patient, Forgiving Spirit . . . . ,, . 58 
XV. The Christian Life a Warfare . . . .62 

XVI. Dependence upon God 67 

XVH. Purity 70 

XVm. Christ the Way 74 

XIX. The Wise Choice 78 

XX. Ketirement and Meditation 82 

XXI. Affliction and Adversity . . . . . .86 

XXII. Seeking the Glory of God 90 



iriii 


CONTENTS. 




xxm. 


Humility 


. 9 


XXIV. 


Cheerfulness 


9 


XXV. 


Love to Jesus • . • 


. 10 


XXVI. 


Against Anger 


10 


XXVII. 


Weary not in Well-doing . 


. 11 


xxvni. 


Sowing and Reaping .... 


11 


XXIX. 


Fidelity in Daily Duties 


r-i 


XXX. 


The Love of God .... 


12 


XXXI. 


Deal Justly, and Love Mercy . 


. 12 


XXXII. 


Life Everlasting .... 


13 


xxxm. 


Dwell Thou with us 


. 13 


XXXIV. 


A Sustaining Hope .... 


13 


XXXV. 


Christ within us . 


. 14 


XXXVI. 


Vain and Evil Thoughts . 


14 


xxxvn. 


True Wisdom 


. 15 


KXXVIII. 


Thou, God, seest us . 


15 


XXXIX. 


Against Pride 


. 16 


XL. 


Diligent in Business .... 


16 


XLI. 


Good Example 


. 17 


XLII. 


The Word of God .... 


17 


XLIII. 


The End of Life 


. 17 


XLIV. 


Daily Faults . 


18 


XLV. 


Pure Religion and Undefiled . 


. 18 


XLVI. 


Against Worldly-Mindedness . 


19 


XLVII. 


Love towards God 


. 19 


XLVni. 


Evil and Idle Speaking . 


19 


XLIX. 


Repentance and Forgiveness 


. 20 


L. 


Inward Peace 


20 


LI. 


Trust in God 


. 21 


LH. 


A Conscience void of Offence 


21 


LIU. 


Given to Hospitality . 


. 21 


LIV. 


Conformity to the Will of God . 


22 


LV. 


Help Thou our Unbelief 


. 22 



CONTENTS. ix 

LVL Consider tour Ways 232 

LVII. His Compassions fail not 237 

LVHI. Faith in Christ ........ 240 

LIX. Search the Scriptures 245 

LX. Temperance and Moderation .... 250 

LXI. Lead us not into Temptation .... 254 

LXTT. Pray without ceasing 259 

LXm. Fear God ......... 264 

LXIV. Thy Ways are not our Ways .... 269 

LXV. Self-Denial 273 

LXVI. Simplicity and Godly Sincerity . . . 277 

LXVII. Love to Man 281 

LXVI1I. True Gain 286 



SPECIAL SERVICES. 

I. Sunday Morning 293 

II. Sunday Morning * 296 

III. Sunday Morning 299 

IV. Sunday Evening 302 

V. Sunday Evening 305 

VI. Sunday Evening 307 

VTI. Christmas Eve 310 

VEIL Christmas Morning . 314 

IX. New Year's Eve 317 

X. New Year's Day 320 

XI. Thanksgiving-Day Morning 325 

XII. Thanksgiving-Day Evening 328 

XIII. Fast Day 331 



PRATERS BY 



Rev. E. G. Adams, Templeton, Mass. 

Rev. William R. Alger, Boston. 

Rev. Joseph Allen, D. D Northborough, Mass. 

Rev. C. G. Ames, Bloomington, 1U. 

Rev. George W. Briggs, D. D Salem, Mass. 

Rev. Charles T. Brooks, Newport, R. I. 

Rev. S. G. Bulfinch, Dorchester, Mass. 

Rev. S. W. Bush, MedfieU, Mass. 

Rev. J. F. Clarke, Boston. 

Rev. Robert Collyer, Chicago, III 

Rev. Rufus Ellis Boston. 

Rev. Henry W. Foote, Boston. 

Rev. Edward E. Hale, Boston. 

Rev. F. H. Hedge, D. D Brookline, Mass. 

Rev. Alonzo Hill, D. D Worcester, Mass. 

Rev. Thomas Hill, D. D Yellow Springs, Ohio. 

Rev. George W. Hosmer, D. D Buffalo, N. Y. 

Rev. L. J. Livermore, Lexington, Mass. 

Rev. Charles Lowe, Somerville, Mass. 

Rev. John H. Morison, D. D Milton, Mass. 

Rev. A. B Muzzey, Newburyport, Mass. 

Rev. Samuel Osgood, D. D New York. 

Rev. A. P. Peabody, D. D Cambridge. 

Rev. Richard Pike, Dorchester, Mass. 

Rev. E. W. Reynolds, Watertoum, N. Y. 

Rev. Chandler Robbins, D. D Boston. 

Rev. R. R. Shippen, Worcester, Mass. 

Rev. N. A. Staples, Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Rev. Horatio Stebbins, Portland, Me. 

Rev. J. W. Thompson, D. D Jamaica Plain, Mass. 

Rev. James "Walker, D. D Cambridge. 

Rev. Augustus Woodbury, Providence, R. I. 



/ and my house are ready, Lord, 
With hearts that beat in sweet accord, 

To serve thee and obey thee ; 
Be in the midst of us, we pray, 
To guide and bless us, that we may 

A willing service pay thee : 
Of us all, 
Great and small, 
Make a pious congregation, 
Pure in life and conversation. 



Let thy good spirit by the word 
Work mightily in us, Lord, 

Our souls and bodies filling ! 
let the sun of grace shine bright, 
That there may be abundant light 

In us and in our dwelling : 
On our way, 
Night and day, 

With the heavenly manna feed us, 
To the heavenly Canaan lead us. 



Xll 

Send peace and blessing from above, 
Unite us all in faith and love 

Who in this house are living ; 
Let charity our hearts prepare 
To suffer long, and all things bear, 

Meek, gentle, and forgiving ; 
Nor in aught 
Christ hath taught 
Let us fail to one another, 
But each to love and help his brother. 

Lord, let our house be built upon 
Thy faithfulness and grace alone; 

And when the day is closing, 
And night her gloomy shadow flings, 
Let us lie down beneath thy wings 

With childlike trust reposing ; 
E'en with smart 
In the heart, 

Cheerful, happy, and confiding, 
Patiently in thee abiding. 

Lyra Domestica. 



Altar at Home. 



DOMESTIC LOVE AND UNITT. 

Help us to help each other, Lord, 

Each other's cross to hear ; 
Let each his friendly aid afford. 

And feel his brother's care. 

Help us to build each other up ; 

Our little stock improve ; 

Increase our faith, confirm our hope, 

And perfect us in love. 

Wesley's Coll. 

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love ; 
in honor preferring one another. 

How good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together 
in unity ! 

Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another ; 
love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous : 

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing ; but con- 
trariwise blessing. 

Learn first to show piety at home, for that is good and 
acceptable before God. 

1 A 



2 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Avoid foolish questions, and contentions and strivings, for 
they are unprofitable and vain. 

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of 
Christ. 

Ye younger submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, 
all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with 
humility. 

Let us love one another ; for love is of God ; and every one 
that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 

But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh 
in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth. 

May God grant, that, as we are all members of the same 
body, have one and the same Father, the same Saviour, we 
may live in unity and godly love, and be charitable accord- 
ing to our ability. 

Let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it 
may be before thee forever ; for thou blessest, O Lord, and it 
shall be blessed forever. 

Morning. 

OTHOU, in whom all the families of the earth 
are blessed, we thank thee that we are again 
permitted to offer our united praise and supplication 
at the household altar. We bless thee for the assur- 
ance, that, where two or three are met together in 
the Saviour's name, they have his presence, sym- 
pathy, and love. We remember with gratitude the 
kind Providence that has been over us through the 
whole of our united life, making our home happy, 



DOMESTIC LOVE AND UNITY. 3 

and enabling us to minister in so many ways to one 
another's well-being. Help us to live together, as 
the dying ought to live with reference to the things 

•ZOO <3 

that change and perish, as the undying ought to live 
in the view of things unseen and eternal. May 
we watch for one another's religious good, spiritual 
peace, and enduring joy. May we bear one an- 
other's burdens, and help one another's infirmities. 
May we move on together in every way of duty, 
looking unto Jesus, and seeking to plant our foot- 
steps where he has trodden. May we be united in 
the love of God, the faith of Christ, the pursuit 
of all that is pure and true, noble and heavenly. 
May we so dwell together, while our house is 
of clay and our habitation in the dust, that we 
may dwell together in the house not made with 
hands. 

We pray for all whom thou hast made ours, that 
thou wouldst guide them by thy counsel, and cheer 
them by the assurance of thy redeeming love. And 
while we commend to thee those who are still around 
us, we would recognize our unbroken union with 
those faithful and beloved friends who have passed 
away from our sight, and have entered before us 
into thy rest. May their felt sympathy be with us 
in duty and in trial, strengthening and gladdening 
us continually, and giving us an ever more intimate 
home-feeling for the mansions in the Father's house 
on high. Command thy blessing on all men every- 



4 ALTAR AT HOME. 

where, and may the light of thy love shine in all 
lands and into all hearts. 

Our Father, hear our prayer, and forgive and 
accept us, now and evermore, through thy mercy in 
Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. 

EVENING. 

UNIVERSAL Sovereign, Father of all spirits, 
as the shades of night gather around our 
dwelling, we kneel together at the domestic altar 
and beseech thee to guard and bless us. O may 
no shades of evil fall on us, no suspicions or alter- 
ations alienate our now united hearts. 

Thou art pleased to see thy children live to- 
gether in love. May our love be so pure and fer- 
vent as to form an acceptable part of the worship 
we render to thee. We would bear each other in 
affectionate remembrance amidst all the round of 
daily toil and temptation, each striving to be wor- 
thy of the other, and all to be found faithful before 
thee. In our mutual relations we would be for- 
bearing, patient, generous, devoted to each other's 
good, in the kind correction of faults and cordial 
co-operation in the culture of excellence. We sup- 
plicate grace to appropriate to their divinest uses 
all thine appointments, whether of prosperity or 
adversity. Guard our fold from ravage. Deliver 
us from an ungrateful and rebellious spirit. What- 



AGAINST WORLDLY-MINDEDNESS. 5 

ever thou doest, may we be resigned to thy will, 
confident that the end will compensate and justify 
aU. 

In the beloved name of Christ may we say, Thy 
will be done. Amen. 



II. 

AGAINST WORLDLY-MINDEDNESS. 

Without Thy presence, wealth is hags of cares; 

Wisdom but folly ; joy, disquiet, sadness ; 
Friendship is treason, and delights are snares ; 

Pleasures but pain, and mirth but pleasing madness. 

Francis Quakles. 

He that loveth life for the sake of the pleasures and advan- 
tages it affords, will soon lose the love of heavenly things; the 
love of God, of his soul, and of the duty he owes to them. — 
Wilson. 

What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, 
and lose his own soul? 

How many perish by reason of vain learning in this world, 
who take little care of the serving of God. — A Kempis. 

He that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth 
the word ; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness 
of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 

Let me not be overcome, Lord, let me not be overcome 



6 ALTAR AT HOME. 

by flesh and blood ; let not the world and the brief glory 
thereof deceive me. — A Kempis. 

Thou sayest, I am rich, increased with goods, and have 
need of nothing ; and knowest not that thou art wretched, 
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. 

Shut my heart, O Lord, against the love of worldly riches, 
lest I betray thee as Judas did. — Wilson. 

Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity ; and quicken 
thou me in thy way. 

Let your conversation be without covetousness ; and be 
content with such things as ye have ; for he hath said, I will 
never leave thee nor forsake thee. 

The world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that 
doeth the will of God abideth forever. 

Morning. 

THE earth is thine, O God, and its fulness is thy 
blessed gift. May we accept all things from 
thee and love and enjoy thee in all things. Yet, 
All-Holy One, we do humbly confess that these 
worldly goods, which are thy creatures, do too often 
estrange us from thee, the Creator, and that they 
tempt us too much to self-indulgence and pride 
and vanity. Forgive us this one too-ready sin, and 
help us to watch more jealously, and guard more 
resolutely, against this ever-present temptation. 

May we regard every good gift as the reason of 
a deeper responsibility, instead of a lure to pleasure 
or a spur to self-conceit. Sacredly may we hold 



AGAINST WORLDLY-MINDEDNESS. J 

all our talents as under stewardship from God, and 
may the weight of them bow us down more humbly 
before thy mercy-seat. May we care more to be- 
friend the lowly than to natter and to feast the 
rich and powerful, and may we so employ our time 
and means as to lay up the goods that will remain 
with us when earthly friends and favors vanish. 

All- Wise and All-Holy, graciously animate us 
with a true purpose, a pervading and unwavering 
determination to do all our work as within thy 
kingdom, and hold our business, our home, and 
our pleasures in subjection to thy laws. Help us 
to bear reverses so patiently and humbly as to save 
us alike from envy of our neighbor's prosperity and 
from repining at thy good Providence. Enable us 
to consecrate duly our joys, that when we are happy 
our blessedness may be in thee, our God, and so our 
joys shall rise and make our children and friends 
rise in faith and gratitude toward thee. 

In thy mercy forgive our overweening love of the 
world, and establish us in the fellowship that is 
divine and abiding, through him who for us over- 
came the world, even Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 



o 



EVENING. 

GOD, our Heavenly Father, grant, we be- 
seech thee, that a sense of thy nearness and 



8 ALTAR AT HOME. 

thy holiness may draw us away from every inor- 
dinate attachment to the transitory, unsatisfying 
things of time. Save us from worldliness and sin. 
Guard us against the insidious and deceitful arts 
which would blind us to our highest good and bring 
us into subjection to the world. Teach us to have 
our conversation in heaven. Let us not wander 
away from our heavenly home, but, while our hands 
and thoughts are engaged amid the cares and em- 
ployments of time, grant that we may bring with us 
into these employments the spirit of thine heavenly 
kingdom, and be inspired and guided by it wherever 
we go. Thou, who embracest all beings and all 
worlds as if they were one, and who carest for 
every one of us as if he were the whole universe, 
enfold us in thy love, breathe into us thy gentle and 
holy spirit, and so win us to thyself, that neither 
the world nor the things of the world shall gain 
dominion over us, or estrange us from Him who 
alone can satisfy the heart, in whose presence is 
fulness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleas- 
ures for evermore, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 



THE GOODNESS OF GOD. 9 

III. 
THE GOODNESS OF GOD. 

The Lord is never far away. 

Nor sundered from his flock; 
He is their refuge and their stay, 

Their peace, their trust, their rock, 
And with a mother's watchful love 
He guides them wheresoe'er they rove. 

J. J. Schutz. 

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good ; for his mercy 
endureth forever. 

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, 
even the God of our salvation. " 

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his 
truth endureth to all generations. 

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and 
plenteous in mercy. 

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth 
them that fear him. 

Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive ; and plenteous 
in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. 

O give thanks unto the Lord ; call upon his name : make 
known his deeds among his people. 

God is great, therefore will he be sought ; he is good, there- 
fore will he be found. — J. Mason. 

Seek the Lord, and his strength ; seek his face evermore. 

1* 



10 ALTAR AT HOME. 

He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the 
earth. 

This is the covenant that I will make with the house of 
Israel, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind, 
and write them in their hearts : and I will be to them a God, 
and they shall be to me a people. 

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their 
sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 

Having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all 
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the 
fear of the Lord. 

Morning. 

llTE would render thanks unto thee, O Lord, 
f T for thou art good, and thy mercy endureth 
forever. We would praise thee for thy goodness, 
and for thy wonderful works to the children of 
men. And may we learn, with devout thankful- 
ness, to connect the thought of thy goodness with 
every event of life and every gift of thy love, till 
thou hast become to us, as thou art, the all-em- 
bracing influence in which we live, — the fountain 
of every pure affection, — the author of every dear 
and holy inspiration, — the atmosphere of love in 
which we may bathe our souls with an infinite 
joy, — not afar off, but a present helper in every 
time of need, ready to hear and answer wherever 
there is a heart yearning for thee, — thou bestower 
of all that crowns our happiness on earth, or that 



THE GOODNESS OF GOD. H 

turns our sorrows into blessings, — who art always 
waiting to be gracious, to renew our minds with 
ever-enlarging and uplifting thoughts, to refresh 
our hearts with affections ever more expansive and 
devout. "We thank thee for what our eyes are 
permitted to see, for this world of order and beauty 
which lies around us ; but more heartily we thank 
thee for what our eyes cannot see, — for the holy, 
loving Providence which hems us in by defences 
too delicate and gentle to be perceived, — for the 
hidden, but divine benignity which rules the tem- 
pest, scatters the hoar-frost like ashes, imprisons 
the arctic seas in ice, breathes upon us in the morn- 
ing light and summer breeze, enfolds us in dark- 
ness and sleep, guides the sun and stars in their 
course, and, in all times of prosperity or tribulation, 
waits with love and tenderness on every defenceless 
and humble soul. 

May we feel that, while we live in thee, no evil 
can approach to do us harm, and that amid the 
fiercest violence of the tempest, or of disease, the 
little child, wrapt in its own sweet and trusting 
innocence, is surrounded and protected by a power 
mightier than all the outward storm and strife. 
We thank thee, O God, for the assurance of thy 
love in Jesus Christ, for the grace, mercy, and 
truth which have flowed into the world through 
him, and in which we may rejoice with joy un- 
speakable, and full of glory. May we be made 



12 ALTAR AT HOME. 

partakers of these, the richest of thy gifts, and 
through him, in thy holy spirit, ascribe unto thee 
honor and praise, for ever and ever. Amen, 

EVENING. 

OUR Heavenly Father, thou whose goodness is 
beyond the power of human language to ex- 
press, we thank thee for thy daily care and provi- 
dence. May our minds be filled with the recollec- 
tion of thy mercies. Every day is rich with the 
tokens of thy love. Thou openest thy hand, and 
we are filled with good. Grant that, while the 
recipients of thy constant kindness, we may accept 
thy gifts with grateful affection and faithful obe- 
dience. As we recall thy manifold bounties, we 
would especially thank thee for the revelation of 
thyself which thou hast made through thy beloved 
Son, Jesus Christ. We rejoice that he has taught 
us to call thee Our Father. With grateful trust 
may we feel that, in this hour of our evening devo- 
tions, while we are kneeling at the family altar, 
thou art nearer to us than our dearest earthly 
friend ; that the tie which binds our hearts to thee 
is more enduring than those which bind us as a 
family by the sweet and tender relations of domestic 
life. Thou lovest each of thy children with a deeper 
and more constant love than that which a mother 
has for her child. Though we are weak and sin- 



THE GOODNESS OF GOD. 13 

fill, though we receive thy free gifts with murmurs 
and dissatisfaction, though we complain at our lot, 
and sometimes even question thy moral govern- 
ment, still thou dost bear with our ingratitude, 
and art ever desirous to bless and sanctify each of 
thy children. Thy love never fails. Thou mak- 
est the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and 
sendest rain on the just and the unjust. Grant, as 
thus we remember thy universal and impartial 
goodness, we may learn to trust thine unfailing 
compassion. If burdened with the conviction of 
sin, may we learn to rely on thy pity. In grief 
thou art our comforter, in trial our refuge, in 
trouble our peace, in sorrow our stay and joy. 
With penitent hearts we would seek thy forgive- 
ness. Grant us the smile of thy countenance and 
the peace of reconciliation. May we rely upon 
thy Providence, and learn to bear our trials in 
patience, bravely striving against temptation ; ac- 
cepting the afflictions of our lot with cheerful sub- 
mission, and the undoubting faith that thou wilt 
lead us through darkness, struggle, and anguish to 
purity, peace, and joy, and that thus we may reap 
the fruits of a Christian experience, and grow daily 
in the knowledge of the wisdom and love of thee, 
and a more unfailing obedience to the precepts of 
thy Son, Jesus Christ. And unto thee, the King 
immortal, eternal, the only true God, be glory for- 
ever. Amen. 



14 ALTAR AT HOME. 

IV. 

PERSONAL PIETY. 

Still to the lowly soul 
He doth Himself impart, 
And for His cradle and His throne 
Chooseth the pure in heart. 

Keble. 

In the morning fix thy good purpose ; and at night examine 
thyself what thou hast done, how thou hast behaved thyself in 
word, deed, and thought. — A Kempis. 

Add to your faith, virtue ; and to virtue, knowledge ; and to 
knowledge, temperance ; and to temperance, patience ; and to 
patience, godliness ; 

And to godliness, brotherly kindness ; and to brotherly kind- 
ness, charity. 

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you 
that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowl- 
edge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Piety, which is a true devotion to God, consists in doing all 
his will precisely at the time, in the situation, and under the 
circumstances, in which he has placed us. — Fehelon. 

Piety supplieth us with business of a most worthy nature, 
and lofty importance ; it engageth us to free our minds from 
all fond conceits and cleanse our hearts from all corrupt affec- 
tions ; 

To curb our brutish appetites, to tame our wild passions, 
to correct our perverse inclinations, to conform the disposi- 



PERSONAL PIETY. 15 

tions of our soul, and the actions of our life, to the eternal 
laws of righteousness and goodness. — Dr. Barrow. 

Thou wilt never be thus inwardly religious, unless thou pass 
over other men's matters with silence, and look especially to 
thyself — A Kempis. 

No man can hinder our private addresses to God, every 
man can build a chapel in his breast, himself the priest, his 
heart the sacrifice, and the earth he treads on the altar. — 
Taylor. 

Morning. 

OTHOU who hast scattered the shades of night 
by the bright beams of the dawn, and in thy 
tender mercy hast safely brought us to the begin- 
ning of this new day ; shine into our hearts, we 
beseech thee, with the light of thy truth; dispel 
all dark thoughts from our minds, and blot out our 
sins as the morning cloud. 

Precious, O Lord, are thy gifts, which are new 
to us every morning and every night: dear to us 
are the earthly comforts which thou hast kindly 
provided, — our home, our friends, our daily bread, 
and our nightly rest ; — and for them all and each 
we offer our humble thanksgivings. But more pre- 
cious than all to us, O our Heavenly Father, is 
that faith in thy infinite goodness, and that hope 
in thy never-failing mercy, with which thou hast 
inspired our souls through thy beloved Son. For 
him, thine unspeakable gift, the brightness of thy 
paternal glory, the true and unfading light of life, 



16 ALTAR AT HOME. 

we would bless thee when we lie down and when 
we rise up, when morning rises in brightness, or 
night gathers in gloom. Let the sweet and sacred 
thought of him dwell in our minds, and his pure 
influence abide with us all the day long; to save 
us from the power of sin, to win us from the allure- 
ments of evil, and to draw us nearer to thee. May 
the Good Shepherd lead us forth to the duties of 
this day, as he doth his own flock, going before 
us to guide and to guard ; and may we meekly 
and obediently follow him, listening to his voice as 
it calls, and teaches, and warns, and comforts us ; 
and not hearkening to the voice- of strangers, who 
have no love nor pity for our souls. In every 
condition and circumstance of life may we look 
unto him, to know what is our duty and to obtain 
strength to perform it. May we learn of him how 
to maintain a lowly mind, and yet an aspiring spirit ; 
how to suffer, and yet rejoice ; not to resist evil, 
and still to overcome it ; to live in the world, and 
yet to live above the world. 

O gracious Lord, what treasures of wisdom and 
love and blessedness hast thou hid for us, thy frail 
and erring, and yet most favored children, in thy 
Son ! Let them be the chosen object of our study 
and pursuit, before all riches, and learning, and 
earthly honors and rewards. 

May the eyes of our understanding be enlight- 
ened, that we may know what is the hope of his 



PERSONAL PIETY. 17 

calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his 
inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding 
greatness of his power to bless and to save all those 
who believe in him. May we be able to compre- 
hend, with all his true disciples, what is the breadth 
and length and depth and height ; and to know 
the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that 
we may be filled with all the fulness of God. 

Now unto Him who is able to do for us exceed- 
ing abundantly, above all that we can ask or think, 
be glory and honor, through Jesus Christ, for ever 
and ever. Amen. 

Evening. 

OGOD, thou who art the source of every bless- 
ing, the giver of every good and perfect gift, 
grant us the aid of thy Holy Spirit, that we may 
be sanctified, and made the recipients of rich love 
and indwelling peace. We need thy forgiveness, 
and would seek thy favor. Trusting in thy free 
and boundless grace, we most earnestly desire that 
thou wouldst take up thy abode in our hearts. 
Make us wholly thine. Without thee we are noth- 
ing, and can do nothing. But in our weakness and 
poverty of soul thou hast promised to hear our cry. 
Keep us from sin. We need thee. We seek thee. 
Come now, O God, in thine infinite mercy, and 
bless us, thine offending children. Spare us, good 



18 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Lord. Stir our souls to greater diligence, and 
quicken within us more devout aspiration. May 
our consciences be pierced with the arrow of con- 
trition, so that, through the conviction of past sins 
and the spiritual renewal of faith, we may be born 
anew in Christ Jesus. By the constant renewing 
of our minds, may we walk with him in the regen- 
eration, and grow daily into the knowledge and 
love of thee, and obedience to thy commandments. 
We pray for the members of this household, and 
and may each give to thee the heart's sincere and 
lowly service. Grant that there may be in each 
of our souls a true Bethel, from which shall arise 
the lowly incense of pure devotion, and may the 
offering thus holy and acceptable in thy sight bring 
to thy children the angel ministries of purity and 
peace. 

We plead with thee for a more sanctified life. 
Lift us up out of sin and folly. May we feel thy 
presence, and see thy smile, and through a personal 
experience taste of the richness and know the joys 
of true piety. Thou wilt dwell near thy lowly 
children : may we welcome thee to our hearts, so 
that we may know the height and depth, the 
length and breadth, of the love of thee. May we 
daily grow into a knowledge of thy goodness, live 
more devoted to thy service, and more singly to 
thy glory. And thine shall be the praise, through 
Christ our Redeemer. Amen. 



ACTIVE VIRTUE. 19 

V. 

ACTIVE VIRTUE. 

Action still must wait on thought ; 

Life 's a voyage, rough though short ; 

We must dare the sorrow-wave, 

Many a sin-storm we must brave, 

Ere we reach our destined port. 

Anox. 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your 
good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

A contemplative life, which does not cast any beam of heat 
or light upon human society, is not known to divinity. — 
Bacon. 

Let us do good unto all men. 

For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the 
doers of the law shall be justified. 

Men should know that, in this theatre of man's life, it is 
reserved only for God and angels to be lookers-on. — Bacon. 

Seeing that the love of God is never standing idle, so be ye 
constantly abounding in good works, enduring all that befalls 
you cheerfully, for God's sake. — Tauler. 

The works of mercy are so many as the affections of mercy 
have objects, or as the world hath kinds of misery. — - Taylor. 

God is the fountain of honor ; and the conduit by which he 
conveys it to the sons of men are virtues and generous prac- 
tices. — South. 

The grand deciding question at the last day will be, not, 



20 ALTAR AT HOME. 

What have you said ? or, What have you believed ? but, 
What have you done more than others ? — South. 

Be ye doers of the word, not hearers only. 

Then shall the king say, Come, ye blessed of my Father, 
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of 
the world. 

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat ; I was thirsty, 
and ye gave me drink ; I was a stranger, and ye took me in ; 
naked, and ye clothed me ; I was sick, and ye visited me ; I 
was in prison, and ye came unto me. 

Morning. 

MERCIFUL God, whose loving-kindness never 
slumbers nor sleeps, we thank thee for the 
secure repose of the night, and for the returning 
blessings of the day. To thee and thy service 
would we surrender all the powers with which 
thou hast endowed us. In gladness and gratitude 
would we offer our whole being, as a living sacri- 
fice, on the altar of love and duty. We seek the 
wisdom which cometh from above to guide us in 
the employment of our time and in the direction of 
our labors. May we be inspired with love for thee 
and for all thou hast made ; and permit us to be 
thy ministers of peace and good-will to men. May 
it be our meat and drink to do thy will. May we 
be ready to every good word and work, regardless 
of our selfish interests, and unmoved by the smiles 
or frowns of the world. 



ACTIVE VIRTUE. 21 

Father, deliver us from evil ! Save us from 
ourselves. May we be victorious over pride and 
passion, over self-will and sensuality. Purify our 
hearts and enlighten our eyes, that we may know 
the meaning and the uses of life, and that we may 
see thee in all events and in all thy works. May 
our existence be sacred to us, because we are thy 
children, continually having our being in thee. In 
all our daily duties, may we rejoice that we are 
workers together with God. So help us to follow 
Christ by patient continuance in well-doing, till 
thy grace shall exalt us to share his glory at thy 
right hand forevermore. Amen. 

Evening. 

WE bless thee, all-perfect Father, for thy pres- 
ence, thy strength, and thy comforts grant- 
ed us during the hours of this day. Without thee, 
we should have nothing and be nothing. But thou 
hast been pleased to appoint that thy purposes 
should be carried forward by the efforts which thy 
children make according to thy Holy Word. With 
our human weakness and frailty thine infinite pow- 
er and providence come into union ; and thou hast 
taught us that we should work for the same great 
ends for which thou, by thy Spirit, art working. 
In every effort to do thy will may we feel that we 
have a true oneness with all who love thy com- 



22 ALTAR AT HOME. 

mands, whether on earth or in heaven ; and a 
oneness with our blessed Master and Saviour, and 
through him with thyself. May we not shun 
the occasions which offer for doing good by the 
sacrifice of our inclinations or convenience. May 
we go forward through every conflict where duty 
calls, in the strength of the Lord our God. May 
it seem to us a small thing to be judged of man's 
judgment, but may our own hearts condemn us 
not. Fill us with that love and trust which cast 
out fear. May our souls be in sympathy with 
them who are in adversity, and with all who are 
under any manner of wrong or oppression from 
evil men. May our words ever be faithful, and 
our action earnest and effectual, to relieve sorrow, 
and to build up thy kingdom in the world, ac- 
cording to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Amen. 



CONFESSION OF SIN. 23 

VI. 
CONFESSION OF SIN. 

Foolish fears and fond desires, 

Vain regrets for things as vain; 
Lips too seldom taught to praise, 

Oft to murmur and complain : 
These and every secret fault, 

Filled with grief and shame, we own ; 
Humbled at thy feet we lie, 

Seeking pardon at thy throne. 

John Taylor. 

I will confess against myself mine own unrighteousness ; I 
will confess my weakness unto thee, O Lord. — A Kempis. 

Whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy. 

He that confesses with his tongue, and wants confession in 
his heart, is either a vain man or a hypocrite : 

He that hath confession in his heart, and wants it on his 
tongue, is either a proud man, or a timorous. — Bp. Hall. 

I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight. 

Lord God, behold, we are before thee in our trespasses ; 
we cannot stand before thee for this. 

1 acknowledge my sin unto thee, O God, and mine iniqui- 
ties will I not hide. 

I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger 
forever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast 
transgressed against the Lord thy God. 



24 ALTAR AT HOME. 

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us 
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Examine diligently thy conscience, and to the utmost of 
thy power purify and make it clear, with true contrition and 
humble confession ; so as there may be nothing in thee that 
may weigh heavy upon thee, or may breed in thee remorse 
of conscience. — A Kempis. 

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper ; but whoso con- 
fesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. 

We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have 
done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from 
thy precepts. 

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, 
though we have rebelled against him. 

O Lord, hear ! O Lord, forgive ! O Lord, hearken, and do ! 
defer not. 

For I acknowledge my transgressions ; and my sin is ever 
before me. 

Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me 
from my sin. 

Morning. 

GOD over all, forever blessed! the new light 
of this new day is from thee, and as it shines 
about us we would come into thy presence, thou 
everlasting Father and Friend. Meet us in our 
coming, we pray thee, and out of thine abounding 
grace in Christ Jesus minister to our heart's neces- 
sities. Thou seest what we are. Our foolishness 



CONFESSION OF SIN. 25 

and our sins are known to thee ; and even to us, 
blind and wayward as we are, they are grievous 
and reproachful. We would confess them and for- 
sake them. Let them not hinder our coming to 
thee, but may we have entire* faith in that most 
tender love which looks out upon us through the 
face of the Lord Jesus, and saith unto us by his 
lips, " Thy sins are forgiven thee." O thou blessed 
Spirit of power and goodness ! help us this day to 
keep thy commandments. Enlarge our hearts unto 
those high measures of fidelity and patience and 
charity! May we worship and do thy sweet and 
holy will. Let that which is perfect come within 
us, and that which is in part shall be done away ! 
Reconcile us unto thyself! May we be born of 
water and of the spirit ! May we be saved hence- 
forth from everything evil and unlovely! Thy 
grace, O Lord, shall be sufficient for us, and we 
will strive to lay hold of thy strong and gentle 
hand, and though our steps should falter for a 
moment, thou wilt hold us up in thy paths. Make 
this day a day of love and faithfulness ; — love in 
our hearts and in our household; faithfulness in 
all that our lips find to utter, in all that our hands 
find to do. May those who are dear to our hearts 
be enriched with the frequency of the Holy Spirit, 
and with the treasures that are laid up in heaven, 
until we shall all come in the unity of the faith 
and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a 



26 ALTAR AT HOME. 

perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of 
the fulness of Christ, for whom we thank thee and 
in whom we adore and bless thee. Amen. 

Evening. 

OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be 
thy name. At the close of another day of 
our brief earthly life, through which thy hand has 
supported and thy love has blessed us, we, thy frail 
and erring children, would reverently kneel before 
thy throne, to thank thee for thy unmerited favors 
and offer our evening prayer. 

From this fleeting world, with all its engrossing 
cares and vanities, from all our wanderings of 
thought and way, O holy and merciful Father, we 
would now return to thee, with penitence and fil- 
ial trust. Receive us, we beseech thee, and look 
down graciously upon us, though we bring only 
that sacrifice of a contrite heart, which thy sacred 
word has assured us thou wilt not despise. We 
earnestly desire to be at peace with thee. We 
would be sorry for everything in our lives which 
has been contrary to thy holy will, and prevented 
our hearts from communing with and enjoying thee. 
The experience of another period of action and trial 
has deepened our sense of imperfection and unwor- 
thiness. We have left undone those things which 
we ought to have done, and we have done those 



CONFESSION OF SIN. 27 

things which we ought not to have done. We 
have not lived as thy children, nor sought to glorify 
thee as our Heavenly Father. Our affections have 
been too strongly set upon earthly things. We have 
not always enjoyed thy gifts with a lively gratitude, 
nor borne our disappointments with a cheerful sub- 
mission. We have not watched against temptation, 
nor strenuously resisted it. We have not had our 
conversation in the world in simplicity and godly 
sincerity; nor diligently practised self-denial, hu- 
mility, brotherly kindness, and charity. Our own 
hearts, O God, as we search them before thee, 
condemn us of doubts and fears, follies and impu- 
rities, vain thoughts and unholy desires, unchristian 
feelings, words, and deeds. Thou art greater than 
our hearts in knowledge of our sins. And, blessed 
be thy name, thou art greater also in forgiveness, 
and in power to purge away our transgressions, 
and to renew and sanctify us in the spirit of our 
minds. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, according 
to thy loving-kindness ; for we acknowledge our 
transgressions. Hide thy face from our sins, and 
blot out all our iniquities. Create in us a clean 
heart, O God ; and renew a right spirit within us. 
Cast us not away from thy presence; and take 
not thy Holy Spirit from us. In the name of thy 
blessed Son, who came from thy bosom to manifest 
thy mercy towards our erring race, to invite sin- 
ners to repentance, and to seal thy promise of 



28 ALTAR AT HOME. 

pardon in his most precious blood, we now suppli- 
cate thy forgiveness ; and commending ourselves, in 
humble trust, to thy compassion and protecting care, 
will lay us down in hope, and sleep. Guard us, 
O thou Keeper of Israel, through the hours of 
darkness, from all harm and danger, from all dis- 
quieting thoughts and evil influences, and wake us, 
if it be thy good pleasure, in the morning, re- 
freshed and renewed by sweet and pure slumbers, 
to praise thee with new gratitude and serve thee 
with new obedience, among the faithful and joyous 
believers in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen, 



VII. 
THE BREVITY OF LIFE. 

Teach me the measure of my days, 
Thou maker of my frame ; 

I would survey life's narrow space, 
And learn how frail I am. 



Watts. 



Behold, thou hast made my days as a handbreadth ; and 
mine age is as nothing before thee : verily, every man at his 
best state is altogether vanity. 

O how wise and happy is he that now laboreth to be such 



THE BREVITY OF LIFE. 29 

an one in his life, as lie wisheth to be found at the hour of his 
death. — A Kempis. 

One generation passeth away, and another generation 
cometh ; but the earth abideth forever. 

Here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 

What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, 
that he may see good ?■ Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy 
lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; 
seek peace and pursue it. 

What is your life ? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for 
a little time, and then vanisheth away. 

We spend our years as a tale that is told. So teach us to 
number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 

Life is a smile that flutters on our lips, a shadow, an ap- 
pearance, a dewdrop, a breath, a dream, a torrent which 
flows away. — St. Gregory. 

Yet this very instability of human things, O blessed wisdom 
of God, is in the perfection of thy decrees ; that by it we may 
be compelled to seek after solid and unchangeable good. — 
St. Gregory. 

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that 
getteth understanding. 

Length of days is in her right hand ; and in her left hand 
riches and honor. 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ; and the 
knowledge of the holy is understanding. 

Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days 
be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with 
them that fear God. But it shall not be well with the 
wicked. 



30 ALTAR AT HOME. 



Morning. 



ETERNAL God, to whom our mortal years are 
but a span, — Author and Sustainer of our be- 
ing, — with a solemn sense of the great mystery of 
life, we would welcome this new day as a gift from 
thee. And while we rejoice in the anticipations 
with which we are permitted to look forward to its 
hours, we would realize also the uncertainty of all, 
as we remember how frail we are. Even the bright 
return of morning reminds us of the rapidity of time 
and change. 

Yet, O thou God of infinite love, we thank thee 
that this solemn thought is not a thought of gloom, 
but that, though we are indeed like the grass of the 
field in our frailty and the insecurity of our days, 
yet, amid all the uncertainty, there is something 
sure. Though the grass withereth and the flower 
fadeth, the word of the Lord abide th forever. To 
that enduring word, O God, we turn. It gives us 
a promise of a life that knows no blight nor change. 
It tells us of heaven, and of thy unfailing love. It 
speaks to us of Jesus, the Way and Guide to thee. 
O, may the thought of these blessed realities sanc- 
tify the hours of this present day. And while we 
consider the shortness of our lives, may we be mind- 
ful of the preciousness of every passing moment. 
May we remember that every hour brings its sacred 
responsibilities, and opens to us its holy uses and 



THE BREVITY OF LIFE. 31 

ways of attaining eternal good. grant that we 
may be faithful to them all. Let it not be that we 
shall any longer turn a deaf ear to the voice which 
calls us to glory and immortality. May we so live, 
with our lamps trimmed and burning, that, whenever 
the Bridegroom cometh, we shall meet him with joy ; 
and may these days of our earthly life, however few 
they are, be rich in those imperishable fruits which 
shall abide with us forever. 

Father, hear us in this our prayer, and keep us in 
thy fear, through thine infinite mercy, revealed to 
us in Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Evening. 

ALMIGHTY God, our Heavenly Father ; thou 
who art from everlasting to everlasting ; we, 
thy children, whose days are numbered, and whose 
years come to an end, bow before thee at this even- 
ing hour, in humble acknowledgment of our depend- 
ence. We desire to lift up our hearts to thee in 
grateful homage, that thou hast preserved us through 
another day and hast been very gracious and merci- 
ful to us. "We would remember and confess before 
thee, O God, our imperfections and our sins. We 
have not had thee in all our thoughts ; we have 
not walked according to thy law and thy command- 
ments in all our ways ; we have not been followers 
together of the Lord Jesus Christ in all that we 



32 ALTAR AT HOME. 

have done. Do thou forgive us, our Heavenly Fa- 
ther ; and blot out our iniquities, and give us grace 
and strength from heaven henceforth to be thy 
obedient children. 

We would remember before thee, O God, our 
mortality. So teach us to number our days that 
we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Give us 
grace to realize that we are but sojourners in our 
earthly homes, and that we must all, sooner or later, 
follow on after the generations who have gone be- 
fore us. Help us, O God, we beseech thee, to be 
faithful and diligent in our appointed sphere of labor 
and duty during the time allotted to us in this pres- 
ent life, that we may be prepared for the change 
which awaits us, and ready for our departure at 
thine own summons. Impress upon our hearts, we 
beseech thee, a devout sense of the sacredness of the 
opportunities and privileges which thou art every 
day granting us, and, as the time is short, teach us 
how to make a wise use of them in the days or years 
which remain to us in this world. 

O God, at this evening hour we would remember 
before thee our friends and all who have an interest 
in our hearts, and commend them to thy fatherly 
care and blessing, and to the teachings of thy Holy 
Spirit. 

Bless the whole world, we beseech thee, with a 
knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ ; and 
may the time speedily come when all nations and 



SEEING GOD IN HIS WORKS. 33 

all people shall render unto thee the homage of obe- 
dience and love. And thine shall be the praise for- 
evermore. Amen. 



VIII. 
SEEING GOD IN HIS WORKS. 

Thou art, God, the life and light 
Of all this wondrous world we see ; 

Its glow by day, its smile by night, 
Are but reflections caught from thee; 

Where'er we turn, thy glories shine, 

And all things fair and bright are thine. 

Mooee. 

The heavens declare the glory of God ; and the firmament 
showeth his handiwork. 

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth 
knowledge. 

By the word of the Lord were the heavens made ; and all 
the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 

For he spake, and it was done ; he commanded, and it stood 
fast. 

The day is thine, the night also is thine : thou hast pre- 
pared the light and the sun. 

In the face of the sun you may see God's beauty ; in the 
fire you may feel his heat warming ; in the water, his gentle- 
ness to refresh you : it is the dew of heaven that makes your 
field give you bread. — Taylor. 

2* c 



34 ALTAR AT HOME. 

He giveth snow like wool : he scattereth the hoar-frost like 
ashes. 

He casteth forth his ice like morsels ; who can stand before 
his cold ? 

He stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth 
them out as a tent to dwell in. 

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created 
these things, that bringeth out their host by number ; he call- 
eth them all by names, by the greatness of his might, for that 
he is strong in power ; not one faileth. 

The sea is his, and he made it ; and his hands formed the 
dry land. 

* O Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in wisdom hast thou 
made them all : the earth is full of thy riches. 

If the works are so perfect, how glorious must be the Maker 
of them ! If the beauty of that which he has created is inex- 
pressibly great, infinitely greater must be that Being who sur- 
veys all creation at a single glance. — Sturm. 

O come, let us worship and bow down ; let us kneel before 
the Lord our Maker. 

Morning. 

ALMIGHTY God, may the gift of a new day 
waken our hearts to new thoughts of love and 
praise. We thank thee for the continual revelations 
of thyself through the works of thy hand. The 
morning is the light of thy smile. The night is the 
shadow of thy protecting wing. The bounty which 
supplies our daily returning wants, is the manna 



SEEING GOD IN HIS WORKS. 35 

which thou dost shower down upon our path. All 
the gifts of thy Providence are the manifestations 
of that love which never slumbers nor sleeps. 
Thou touchest the earth, and it is covered with 
beauty. Every bush burns with thy presence. 
Every flower blooms as a fresh token of thy love. 
Thou settest fast the mountains, and spreadest out 
the seas as symbols of thy power. Thou crownest 
the years with thy goodness, and sendest the seed- 
times and harvests in unbroken succession, to be the 
constant proofs of thy unchangeable mercy. Heav- 
en and earth show forth thy loving-kindness, and 
declare thy righteousness. 

O God, teach us how to read this book of thy 
love. Send the spirit of Jesus, thy Son, into our 
hearts, to open our eyes, and unloose the seals. 
While we see in the splendors of the firmament the 
disclosures of thy eternal power and Godhead, may 
we look upon each lily of the field as a symbol of 
the love which visits every smallest thing, the grace 
that waits to bless every humble heart. Give us an 
ear to hear day unto day uttering speech, and night 
unto night showing forth the knowledge of thee, 
until the whole world shall seem to be filled with 
thy praise. 

And yet, O God, while we learn to see thee in 
thy works, teach us to feel that all this grandeur and 
beauty cannot fully reveal thy love. The heaven 
of heavens cannot contain thee. The universe can 



36 ALTAR AT HOME. 

only give a shadow of thy power and thy mercy. 
Give to us a perpetual sense of the higher glories 
of the Holy of Holies, in thy more immediate pres- 
ence, while we stand here in the outer courts of 
our Father's house. May the spirit of Him who 
came to be the express image of thy person, the in- 
carnation of thy love, make us now the sons of God, 
and prepare us for that higher world where we know 
not what we shall be, but in which we shall see thee 
as thou art for evermore. 

Hear, forgive, accept us, as disciples of Jesus 
Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

EVENING. 

OTHOU Infinite Spirit, whose creative power 
and wisdom are revealed in the order and beau- 
ty of the universe, filled with grateful wonder at the 
spectacle of thy works, we worship thee. May our 
eyes be unsealed to trace more of thy ways in the 
beneficent arrangements and marvels of nature. 
And whatever we see of sublimity, loveliness, or 
blessed adaptation, may it be a symbol to carry our 
adoring thoughts up to thee. Thus may we walk 
in the world as in a sacred temple, filled with thy 
presence, and use all its scenery and phenomena as 
types and hints through which to commune with the 
omnipresent Divinity, and discern the indications of 
his will. We thank thee for the curtain of darkness 



THE VOICE WITHIN. 37 

thou now lettest down over the slumbers of the 
night. Be with our spirits through the hours of 
unconsciousness, and restore us to labor and joy of 
the day again. And whether we sleep or wake, on 
the earth or in worlds unknown, still may we be 
thine, thine forever. Amen. 



IX. 

THE VOICE WITHIN. 

Hath not thy heart within thee burned 
At evening's calm and holy hour, 

As if its inmost depths discerned 
The presence of a loftier power f 

It was the voice of God that spake 
In silence to thy silent heart ; 

And bade each worthier thought awake, 
And every dream of earth 



BULFINCH. 

God never ceases to speak to us ; but the noise of the world 
without, and the tumult of our passions within, bewilder us, 
and prevent us from listening to him. — Fenelon. 

Blessed is the soul which heareth the Lord speaking within 
her, and receiveth from his mouth the word of consolation. — 
A Kempis. 

Blessed indeed are those ears which listen not after the 
voice which is sounding without, but for the truth teaching 
inwardly. — A Kempis. 



38 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the 
Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? 

God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, 
hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge 
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

It is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither 
hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God 
hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath re- 
vealed them unto us by his Spirit. 

For he is our God ; and we are the people of his pasture, 
and the sheep of his hand. To-day if ye will hear his voice, 
harden not your hearts. 

We must often silently listen to this teacher within, who 
will make known all truth to us, if we are faithful in attend- 
ing to him. 

God is in our souls, as our souls are in our bodies. — 
Fenelon. 

And all blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if 
thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. 

Morning. 

OGOD, our life and our light, the strength of 
our hearts, the hope of our spirits ! We re- 
joice to know thee, though it be but in part. We 
desire to know thee more and better, to enter more 
fully into the joy of thine idea through purity of 
heart and willing obedience. Flesh and blood hath 
not revealed thee, but the Light which lighteth all 
who come into the world is thy witness within us, 



THE VOICE WITHIN. 39 

and the Son who is in the bosom of the Father hath 
declared thee. 

We rejoice in that divine. Dispensation of Grace 
and Truth which shows us the Father, not distant 
and unheeding, but near to every one of us, and ever 
willing to help to the uttermost all who seek their 
help in thee. We bless thee for the word of life in 
Christ, whereby are given unto us exceeding great 
and precious promises, and gifts of the Spirit, and 
means of growth, and aids to virtue. Make that 
word, we beseech thee, a fountain of strength and 
healing to our souls ; may it work in us with blessed 
effect to give us the knowledge of the truth and the 
power of faith and obedient wills, redeeming us from 
the law of sin in our members, overcoming every 
evil tendency and passion, quickening every good 
principle in our natures, and making us one with 
God in heart and life. 

Make it, we entreat thee, a word of power and 
life to the nations of the earth, give it the dominion 
over human ignorance and superstition, over selfish 
desires, unrighteous laws, and wicked customs, 
and all the evil that is in the world. May it be 
not only the message and glad tidings, but the re- 
alization of peace and good-will on the earth. 

Father everlasting ! our hope is in thee ; we wait 
thy blessing. Grant us of thy mercy whatever in 
thy wisdom thou shalt see to be needful and fit. 
Evermore give us of the Bread which cometh down 



40 ALTAR AT HOME. 

from heaven and giveth life unto the world, that we 
may eat thereof, and not die. Feed our souls, re- 
fresh our spirits, strengthen our faith, and lead us 
to the Christ to whom he that cometh shall never 
hunger, and in whom he that believeth shall 
never thirst. And thine be the praise, forever- 
more. Amen. 

Evening. 

OTHOU, in whom we live and move and have 
our being ! We are reminded by the experi- 
ence of another day, that all our ways are ordered 
by a loving and compassionate Father. It is the 
Spirit itself bearing witness with our spirit that we 
are the children of God. 

For thy great mercies, thus continually renewed 
unto us, we devoutly thank thee. Especially would 
we bless and adore thy great and holy name for the 
riches of thy goodness in spiritual things ; that thou 
hast created us in thine own likeness, and in the im- 
age of thine own eternity ; that thou hast revealed 
thyself unto us in thy word, and in the thoughts 
and affections of our own hearts ; that there is a 
voice within, as well as a voice without, calling us 
to glory and virtue. May we listen reverently to 
the suggestions and warnings of the internal moni- 
tor. Suffer us not, we beseech thee, in any moment 
of temptation or thoughtlessness, to resist the plead- 



THE VOICE WITHIN. 41 

ings, the stragglings of our better nature against the 
besetting sin. 

And now we commit ourselves, during the dark- 
ness and defencelessness of the hours of sleep, to 
that ever-watchful Providence which is over all 
things, ascribing to thee all praise and glory, ever- 
more. Amen. 



X. 

BEARING THE CROSS. 

How blessed the man, how fully so, 

As far as man is blessed below, 

Who, taking up the cross, essays 

To follow Jesus all his days. 

Parnell. 

And he said unto them all, If any man will come after me, 
let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow 
me. 

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is 
not worthy of me. 

If thou bear the cross cheerfully, it will bear thee, and 
lead thee to the desired end, namely, where there shall be an 
end of suffering, though here there shall not be. — A Kempis. 

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute 
you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for 
my sake. 



42 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your 
good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess 
also before my Father which is in heaven. 

By the love of thy cross, O Jesus, I will take up my cross 
daily and follow thee. — Bishop Ken. 

I have received the cross, I have received it from thy 
hand ; I will bear it, and bear it even unto death, as thou 
hast laid it upon me. — A Kempis. 

I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, 
in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake ; for when I am 
weak, then am I strong. 

All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecu- 
tion. 

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him : if we deny him, 
he will also deny us. 

He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

Morning. 

ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, as once 
more we gather around the family altar, we 
would seek thy presence, and invoke thy blessing 
upon this household. We are weak ; wilt thou 
grant us the aid of thine infinite strength. We are 
ignorant, and would seek from thine inexhaustible 
wisdom the light of true knowledge. Borne down 
with anxiety, with hearts burdened by trial and 
grief, may we meet the afflictions which beset and 



BEARING THE CROSS. 43 

surround us with cheerful resignation and unfailing 
faith. Thou, O Lord, knowest our trials and temp- 
tations. We confess our manifold transgressions. 
When we would do good, evil is present with us. 
Grant us thy guidance and forgiveness. Sanctify 
us by thy Holy Spirit. As the shadows of life fall 
upon our souls, we would seek heavenly light. With- 
out are fightings, within are fears. Enable us, we 
do most earnestly beseech thee, to bear our cross 
with lowly submission, uncomplaining fidelity, and 
serene trust. May we learn from our Saviour to 
meet our trials with devout confidence and trium- 
phant faith; and cherish the undoubted assurance 
that a crown of glory awaits the penitent, faithful, 
and obedient disciple. Though in thy Providence 
our present lot is grievous ; though adversity frown 
upon us and our bread is dipped in tears ; though 
struggling with a besetting sin or afflicted with sor- 
row ; though subjected to loss of wealth, and, through 
our fidelity to principle, the esteem of the world, — 
grant us thy strength, and may we say, in the spirit 
of Him who bore his agony with such triumphant pa- 
tience, " Not my will, but thine, be done." May we 
learn to be resigned even in pain and suffering, and 
through the pathway of the cross attain unto heav- 
enly glory and divine peace ; and thus reap the rich 
fruition of the believer's faith and the believer's hope. 
May we both live and die unto Christ, taking up the 
cross daily, and walk in faithful observance of the 



44 ALTAR AT HOME. 

precepts of thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, — in 
the faith of whom, and as whose disciples, we ask for 
strength and forgiveness. And thine shall be the 
praise, and the power, and the glory, for ever and 
ever. Amen. 

Evening. 

GRACIOUS and Everlasting God, from the dis- 
tractions and turmoils of the world we turn 
reverently and solemnly unto thee. And in this 
hour of quiet meditation would seek our refreshing 
in that blessed communion which it is our privilege 
to enjoy. 

We thank thee, O our Father, that we may thus 
come to thee, and that we may indeed believe that 
thou, the Infinite One, wilt bend to welcome our 
frail and erring spirits, while they seek direction and 
strength. 

O that our hearts were so in harmony with thy 
spirit that our communion with thee might be per- 
fect, and that we might know the full blessedness of 
thy love ! Make us, O our Father, more entirely 
thine. Teach us more and more to realize that 
there is nothing in heaven or on earth that can bring 
to us such perfect joy. 

May the image of Jesus be ever present to our 
thoughts, a constant guide to thee. May we seek 
to walk ever in his steps. And if they sometimes 



ASPIRATION. 45 

lead through difficult and trying ways, if sometimes 
they draw us away from things that we desire, O 
help us not to falter ! What can harm us if we have 
thy love ? And what earthly good shall we not re- 
nounce if it turns us away from thee ? May we 
take up our cross and follow Christ, willing even 
to drink his bitter cup, and to be baptized with his 
baptism of sorrow, if only we can be found at last 
with him in thee. 

O God, keep us faithful unto death, that we may 
receive the crown of life. And unto thee, who only 
art able to keep us from falling, we will ascribe power 
and dominion, now and for evermore. Amen. 



XI. 

ASPIRATION. 



Build thee more stately mansions, my soul, 

As the swift seasons roll ! 

Leave thy low-vaulted past! 
Let each new temple, nobler than the last, 
Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, 

Till thou at length art free, 
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea ! 

Holmes. 

My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the 
Lord : my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 

Let me continue, let me increase in this love of thee more 



46 ALTAR AT HOME. 

and more. Let this weary pilgrimage be spent in advancing 
daily towards thee. — St. Augustine. 

God, let thy heavenly love be the constant bias of my 
soul ! May it be the natural spring and weight of my heart, 
that it may always move towards thee ! — Bishop Ken. 

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek 
after ; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days 
of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in 
his temple. 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteous- 
ness, for they shall be filled. 

Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes ; and I shall 
keep it unto the end. 

Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law ; yea, I 
shall observe it with my whole heart. 

Behold, I have longed after thy precepts ; quicken me in 
thy righteousness. 

1 will delight myself in thy statutes : I will not forget thy 
word. 

Blessed are they that dwell in thy house ; they will be still 
praising thee. 

They go from strength to strength ; every one of them in 
Zion appeareth before God. 

Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for- 
ever. 

Morning. 

INFINITE Being, in whom all perfections meet, 
send thy Spirit down to lift our spirits up to 



ASPIRATION. 47 

thee. We would not grovel on the low level of 
time and sense, contented with things that perish. 
We would aspire evermore from height to height, 
through knowledge and trust, through obedience 
and love, still rising, till we reach our perfection. 
We thank thee for the sacred lures thou dost hold 
above us, to tempt our desires aloft. O may we for- 
get the things which are below, and press forwards 
and upwards towards the mark for the prize of our 
high calling in Christ Jesus. Lessen the attraction 
of ignoble things, and increase the power of all forms 
of celestial good to draw our souls to themselves. 
Especially, O God, reveal the glories of thine own 
being, the loveliness of thine own face to us, that, 
turning from all else, we may supremely strive to 
win and lose ourselves in thee. Pardon us, and 
bless us, O thou who in all and over all art God 
alone. Amen, 

Evening. 

HOLY Father, maker of the countless worlds 
above us, former of our bodies, God of our 
lives, and Father of our spirits, — as thy angel of 
the night closes the day here on earth, the gates of 
thy boundless kingdom open over our heads, and 
call our thoughts upward to commune with Him 
who inhabiteth immensity. Lord of the shining 
ones, Guide of all who pass through these lowly 



48 ALTAR AT HOME. 

scenes of tribulation toward the realms of glory and 
the city of peace, shine down to-night into our 
hearts, and kindle in us a renewed yearning and an 
effectual purpose to put off utterly the works of 
darkness and clothe ourselves in the armor of light. 
The day of God is at hand ; O may we be children 
of the day, may we behold the ladder set up on the 
earth, the top whereof reacheth heaven, and may 
we climb by the steps of memory and hope and 
prayer and patience toward that perfection which 
beams upon us in all thy works and ways, and of 
which this night, with all its wonders and gracious 
whisperings, affords us such blessed intimations. As 
night after night admonishes us of the time when 
this earthly house must be dissolved, may the inner 
man be built up day after day. This is not our rest. 
Forgetting the things which are behind and below, 
we would press on to those which are above. O, 
may this night's slumber refresh us for a nobler re- 
newal of the race which is set before us in Christ 
Jesus ! May our loins be ever girded about, and our 
lamps trimmed and burning ; may neither the weari- 
ness of the flesh, nor the world's cares or pleasures, 
deaden our zeal for the prize of our high calling ; 
may we be made more than conquerors through the 
Captain of our salvation, and by patient continuance 
in well-doing attain to glory, honor, and immortality. 
A men. 



GOOD RESOLUTIONS. 49 

XII. 
GOOD RESOLUTIONS. 

May I resolve, with all my heart, 

With all my powers, to serve the Lord ; 

Nor from his precepts e'er depart, 
Whose service is a rich reward. 

Mrs. Steele. 

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty 
to utter anything before God ; for God is in heaven, and thou 
art upon earth : therefore let thy words be few. 

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it ; for 
he hath no pleasure in fools ; pay that which thou hast vowed. 

I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. I will walk 
within my house with a perfect heart. 

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the 
work of them that turn aside ; it shall not cleave to me. 

God never accepts a good inclination instead of a good ac- 
tion, where that action may be done. — South. 

I find a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present 
with me. 

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, be strong. 

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without waver- 
ing ; for he is faithful that promised. 

I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy 
righteous judgments. 



50 ALTAR AT HOME. 

There wants nothing but a believing prayer to turn a prom- 
ise into a performance. — J. Mason. 

Godliness consists not in a heart to intend to do the will of 
God, but in a heart to do it. — Jonathan Edwards. 

First know what is good to be done, then do that good, being 
known. — Warwick. 

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to tri- 
umph in Christ. 

Morning. 

GOD of the morning, who makest its outgoings 
to rejoice ! We thank thee for thy bounty, 
which now with the light of the sun reneweth the 
face of the earth. May thy celestial light shine in 
upon our souls, and renew in them all holy feelings 
and virtuous resolutions. We begin the day with 
thee, O God ; grant us to spend it in thy fear and 
love. May we with thoughtful minds survey the 
path which lies before us, perceive to what moral 
dangers we may be most exposed therein, and arm 
ourselves with strong determination that we will 
avoid every action, every word, and every volun- 
tary thought, contrary to thy will and to our duty. 
In humility would we profess our purpose unto thee, 
to exercise due restraint over each appetite and 
passion that rebels against the sway of reason and 
of religion. We would resolve before thee to apply 
ourselves to the steady and cheerful performance 
of those common tasks which thy providence has 



GOOD RESOLUTIONS. 51 

assigned to us ; and to do with our might whatever 
our hands find to do, whereby thy children may be 
aided and thy name be glorified. And if our duties, 
this day, or at any time to come, should be less of 
action than of endurance, then would we resolve, 
O Father, bravely and meekly to endure, remem- 
bering how the blessed Jesus bore the burden of 
pain, reproach, and sorrow for our sakes. O thou 
in whose presence these purposes are formed and 
expressed, we know that our strength is but weak- 
ness without thine aid. Give us of thy grace, 
O Lord ! and make us conquerors through the 
spirit of him that loved us and gave himself for 
us. As we have prayed for ourselves, we pray for 
others ; those who are near us as relatives and 
friends, and those who are afar off, even all man- 
kind. At length, O Father, of thy mercy, make 
us thine in heaven. And to thy name be praises 
evermore, through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Evening. 

OTHOU all-searching and everywhere-present 
God, we pray that we may both know and see 
ourselves as thou knowest and seest us. We are 
now before thee, with our hearts open to the gaze 
of thy all-penetrating eye. As in thy presence we 
review the past day, we have need to be truly peni- 
tent, for we have often done those things which we 



52 ALTAR AT HOME. 

ought not to have done, and we have left undone 
those things which we ought to have done. In 
word, in deed, and in thought, we have offended 
against thy most holy law. We are imperfect in 
thy sight. We feel our need of a new and better 
life. But in our imperfection and need we remem- 
ber that thy law is perfect, converting the soul ; thy 
commandments are pure, enlightening the eyes ; thy 
judgments are true and righteous altogether. Let 
sin have no dominion over us ; cleanse us from 
secret faults ; keep back thy servants from presump- 
tuous sins, and let them have no dominion over us. 
But even while our sins are before us we remember 
thy promises. Grant us the aid of thy Holy Spirit. 
May the conviction of our past transgressions quick- 
en within us holier resolutions, and lead us to a 
more complete consecration of our hearts to thee. 
Through the power of an awakened conscience 
may we be quickened to greater vigilance in the 
performance of every duty, and aim to give our 
lives to thee, which is our reasonable and acceptable 
service. All that we have and all that we are 
belong to thee. May we resolve with all our hearts 
to employ them in thy service, and to faithfully 
strive to do thy most perfect will. Strengthen 
within us devout purposes, and increase our aspi- 
rations after holiness. Thou, O God, wilt call us 
to a strict account for the use of every day. May 
we so walk in the way of thy statutes, and keep thy 



THY KINGDOM COME. £3 

commandments, as to meet with thine approval, and 
live day by day with the blessed assurance that for 
thy faithful and obedient children there awaiteth a 
crown of glory and everlasting peace, through our 
Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen, 



XIII. 
THT KINGDOM COME. 

Thy kingdom come, with power and grace, 

To every heart of man; 

Thy peace and joy and righteousness 

In all our bosoms reign. 

Wesley's Coll. 

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the 
kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, 
The kingdom of God cometh not with observation : 

Neither shall they say, Lo here ! or, Lo there ! for, behold, 
the kingdom of God is within you. 

The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman 
took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was 
leavened. 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a 
field ; the which when a man hath found he hideth, and for 
joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth the 
field. 



54 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman 
seeking goodly pearls : 

Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and 
sold all that he had, and bought it. 

Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion 
endureth throughout all generations. 

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory 
of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. 

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the 
Lord ; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before 
thee. 

For the kingdom is the Lord's, and he is governor among 
the nations. 

Then shall the earth yield her increase ; and God, even our 
own God, shall bless us : 

When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, 
to serve the Lord. 



Morning. 

OTHOU, who reignest in the heaven of heav- 
ens, and whose dominion is over all the earth, 
we bow in reverence before thine infinite majesty, 
and acknowledge our humble allegiance to thee. 
We know that in thy service is our highest good, 
and that thy perfect government is the true life 
to the soul. But, O God, we confess our proneness 
to break away from thee and do violence to thy 
commands ; and we fervently pray that thou wilt 



THY KINGDOM COME. 55 

bring us back and keep us in loving subjection to 
thy holy will. 

O that our hearts might be opened so to com- 
prehend thy infinite perfections that thou shouldest 
truly reign over lis as the object of our adoring 
love. O that we might learn the beauty and glory 
of thy holiness and truth, which it is given even 
to us, creatures of frailty and sin, yet also children 
of thy love, to strive after and to share. Do thou 
grant that so, filled with a sense of thy excellence 
and a yearning for the things of God, our hearts 
may be indeed thy throne, and our members all 
ministers to do thy will. 

And O may thy kingdom come, not only in us, 
but in all the world. Thou only canst fill and 
satisfy the vast capacities wherewith thou hast en- 
dowed the human soul. Suffer not thy erring chil- 
dren to wander far away from thee and goodness 
in disobedience and wrong, and to give themselves 
to the unsatisfying dominion of worldly lusts. But 
may the divine power of thy truth and holiness be 
victorious over every evil principle, and thy will 
rule within us a living spring and guide. 

May the time be no longer when thou shalt say, 
" If I be a father, where is mine honor ? if I be a 
master, where is my fear?" But do thou reign, 
whose right it is, and in whose service is happiness 
and joy and peace. 

We ask it as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Amen. 



5Q ALTAR AT HOME. 

Evening. 

OUR Father, who art in heaven, thou whose 
strength is upholding us, and whose love is 
descending upon us every day, we come unto thee 
at this evening hour with the grateful offerings of 
our hearts. Wilt thou listen to our prayer, and 
graciously accept us in the sacrifice we bring before 
thee. We thank thee for the care with which thou 
hast kept us during another period of our probation, 
for the bounty with which thou hast supplied our 
returning wants, and for the opportunities which 
thou hast afforded us for a wise and useful improve- 
ment of our time. Enable us to feel, O God, that 
all the blessings of life come from thee ; and in our 
enjoyment of them may our hearts ever turn with 
grateful emotions to thee. Forgive us, we beseech 
thee, if we have been unmindful of thee in receiv- 
ing thy gifts, and wherein we have sinned against 
thee in our waywardness or our ignorance. 

O God, our Heavenly Father, we pray for the 
coming of thy kingdom ; that, kingdom which Christ 
Jesus our Lord came to set up here on earth to be 
for evermore in the hearts of thy children. Our 
heart's desire and prayer is, that all mankind may 
come to a knowledge of the truth, and by the truth 
may be set free from the bondage of the world and 
the bondage of sin ; and that thy grace may dwell 
in all richly, and thy spirit sanctify their spirits, and 



THY KINGDOM COME. 57 

so thy kingdom come to be established throughout 
the world. O our Father, we would ourselves be 
the subjects of thy kingdom. We would be sharers 
with all our fellow-men in that peace and joy and 
righteousness which it so abundantly imparts. To 
this end we would ever come to thee, to be enlight- 
ened by thy wisdom, and to be renewed in the spirit 
of our minds by thy Holy Spirit abiding within us. 
O God, our help is in thee, and from thee cometh 
our salvation; and we feel assured that thou wilt 
keep thy promise unto us and to all men ; the 
promise that if we ask, we shall receive; if we 
seek, we shall find ; if we knock, it shall be opened 
unto us. 

O our Father, hear our prayer, we beseech thee, 
and grant the desires of our hearts, and thine shall 
be the glory and the praise forevermore. Amen. 



3* 



58 ALTAR AT HOME. 

XIV. 
A PATIENT, FORGIVING SPIRIT. 

Wouldst thou, when thy faults are known, 

Wish that pardon should be shown ? 

Be forgiving, then, and do 

As thou wouldst be done unto. 

W. Roscoe. 

Endeavor to be patient in bearing with the defects and in- 
firmities of others, of what sort soever they be ; for that thy- 
self also hast many failings which must be borne with by 
others. — A Kempis. 

He shall have judgment without mercy that hath shown no 
mercy. 

Hath any wronged thee ? be bravely revenged ; slight it, 
and the work is begun ; forgive it, and it is finished. — Quarles. 

If ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father 
will also forgive your trespasses. 

You who complain so much of what others make you suffer, 
do you think that you cause others no pain ? Does it never 
come into your mind to fear, lest he should demand of you why 
you had not exercised towards your brother a little of that 
mercy which he who is your Master so abundantly bestows 
upon you ? — Fenelon. 

Let no malice or ill-will abide in me. Give me grace to 
forgive all that may have offended me. — Wilson. 

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 

When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against 



A PATIENT, FORGIVING SPIRIT. 59 

any : that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you 
your trespasses. 

Comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient 
toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any 
man. 

Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words ? there is more 
hope of a fool than of him. 

Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one 
another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 

Morning. 

OTHOU, who makest the outgoings of the 
morning to rejoice, we thank thee that we 
are permitted again to see the pleasant light, and 
to enjoy and admire thy glorious and wonderful 
works. What are we, that thou shouldest visit us 
every night and morning with blessings more than 
can he numbered ! That thou shouldest watch over 
us in our sleep, and smile on us when we wake, and 
hold us up in all our ways ! That thou shouldest 
spread our table and fill our cup ; provide for us the 
comforts of an earthly home, and cheer us with the 
promise of a heavenly ! O, may thine unmerited 
goodness lead us to a sincere repentance, and kindle 
in our hearts such fervent love as will make us 
watchful not to offend or grieve thy Holy Spirit, 
and ever ready to do and bear thy perfect will. 
May it soften our hearts also towards our fellow- 
men, and dispose us to compassion and forgiveness. 



60 ALTAR AT HOME. 

As thou art so long-suffering towards us, may we 
exercise patience and forbearance towards others. 
May the consciousness of our own faults lead us to 
regard theirs with pity, and judge them with char- 
ity. Since our goodness cannot extend unto thee, 
may it be extended, for thy sake, to thy children 
who are around us. While the light of thy coun- 
tenance is shining upon us, may it be our delight to 
reflect it upon them. When thou increasest our 
store, let us multiply our benefactions, — wasting 
nothing upon our selfishness, and perverting noth- 
ing to luxury and pride ; but using and enjoying 
everything for the diffusion of happiness and the 
advancement of thy glory. This day may we be 
followers of Christ, by walking in love, and going 
about doing good ; by cultivating a meek and patient 
spirit, and maintaining a forgiving and placable tem- 
per ; by seeking rather to minister than to be minis- 
tered unto, and remembering in our practice his 
precious saying, " It is more blessed to give than to 
receive." 

Accept, O Lord, our intercessions for all man- 
kind ; especially for the poor and the sick, the deso- 
late and the fallen, the weary and heavy-laden. 

And now, O holy and merciful Father, we hum- 
bly commend unto thy gracious care ourselves and 
all who are dear to us. Guard and guide us 
through all the unknown scenes and dangers of 
the day. Assist us to discharge faithfully every 



A PATIENT, FORGIVING SPIRIT. 61 

duty, and to bear patiently every trial ; to trust 
in thee with a childlike confidence, and to please 
and glorify thee in all our doings. And to thee, 
the infinite and eternal God, we will ascribe con- 
tinually all glory, honor, and praise, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Evening. 

OLORD our God ! look on us in love, as we 
commend ourselves to thee at the close of this 
day. We acknowledge that thy hand has been 
open to feed us ; and that streams of mercy, never 
ceasing, have flowed to us from thine exhaustless 
fountains. O Lord ! thou art kind to the un- 
thankful and the evil ; for thou hast been kind to 
us. Thou hast sought us when we wandered ; 
thou hast remembered us when we forgot thee ; 
thou hast been patient with our mfirmities, and 
ready to forgive our sins ; and all thy chastisements 
have been for our profit. May thy goodness lead 
us to humble repentance ; may it waken in us an 
earnest desire to be like thee in our lives, and to 
deal with our fellow-servants as thou hast dealt with 
us. Fill us with thine own heavenly spirit of good- 
will ; give us a tender, Christ-like interest in the 
welfare of all thy human family ; and may the sins 
and errors of mankind move us to compassionate 
efforts for their redemption. Help us to amend our 



62 ALTAR AT HOME. 

own lives and to correct our own faults, that we 
may be more fitting instruments and examples of 
good to others. 

Father ! may we lie down to rest with hearts at 
peace with thee and with all thy creatures. May 
the remainder of our days be spent more wisely 
than the past. And when the shadows of death 
shall darken our mortal sight, may our faith be 
cheered with the dawning visions of eternal day. 
And to thee will we give endless praises, as our 
God and Father, and the God and Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 



XV. 

THE CHRIS TUN LIFE A WARFARE. 

A soldier's course, from battles won, 

To new-commencing strife ; 

A pilgrim's, restless as the sun ; — 

Behold the Christian's life I 

Gisborne. 

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth ; I came 
not to send peace, but a sword. 

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to 
stand against the wiles of the devil. 

This charge I commit unto thee, that thou mightest war a 
good warfare ; 



THE CHRISTIAN LIFE A WARFARE. 63 

Holding faith and a good conscience ; which some having 
put away, concerning faith have made shipwreck. 

But then follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, 
patience, meekness. 

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. 

Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 

Therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of 
this life ; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be 
a soldier. 

And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned 
except he strive lawfully. 

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty 
through God to the pulling down of strong holds ; — 

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalt- 
eth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into 
captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 

No triumphs are comparable to those of piety, — no trophies 
so magnificent and durable as those which victorious faith 
erecteth. — Barrow. 

Morning. 

OUR Father, who art in heaven, and our God ; 
awakened to the light of another day, we 
come to thee with the grateful offerings of our 
hearts. We thank thee, O God, for the continu- 
ance of our lives, and the renewal of our energies ; 
and for the freshness and vigor with which we are 
enabled to go forth again to our labors and our 
duties. 



64 ALTAR AT HOME. 

As this day upon which we have entered shall be 
to each one of us, so let our strength be, we beseech 
thee, O our Father. As we shall be beset by sins, 
and shall meet with temptations, wilt thou aid us 
by thy heavenly grace in overcoming and resisting 
them. If hard trials and experiences await us ; if 
disappointments and afflictions shall fall to our lot ; 
if heavy burdens shall be laid upon us, — give us 
wisdom, we beseech thee, to see thy hand in them, 
and by thy Holy Spirit in our hearts breathe into 
us the spirit of devout submission. 

O our Father! we feel that we are weak and 
ignorant and sinful ; but thou art holy and just and 
good. Our trust is in thee ; our hope is in thee. 
We know that, if we seek help of thee, thou wilt 
give us help according to our needs ; for this assur- 
ance we have from our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ ; and that thou wilt not suffer us to be over- 
come and cast down in our conflicts in this world, 
but wilt make them the means by which our 
strength shall be renewed and our faith deepened, 
and so by them we shall day by day be prepared 
for the great warfare in which we are called to 
engage. 

Do thou be with us all this day, our Heavenly 
Father, our defence and our salvation in every hour 
of danger and of evil. If consistent with thy holy 
will, do thou preserve us from sickness and suffer- 
ing and sorrow. We entreat thy blessing for our 



THE CHRISTIAN LIFE A WARFARE. 65 

friends, and for all who are near and dear to us. 
Do thou keep them, and lead them by thy wisdom 
into all righteousness and truth and peace. 

And we pray, O God, that thy kingdom may 
come and thy will may be done here on earth even 
as it is done in heaven. And thine shall be the 
praise and the glory now and evermore. Amen. 

Evening. 

ALMIGHTY God, thy power and love have 
been over us during the busy hours of the 
day, while we were engaged in the duties and 
enjoyments of active life. May the thought of thy 
continued presence hallow all our other thoughts, 
blending with all that we say and all that we 
do, making our labor prayer, and our happiness 
thanksgiving. Wilt thou strengthen us every day 
for the work that thou givest us to do. If it be 
arduous, may we take courage from the prize of our 
high calling, and the hope that is frill of immortality. 
If it require self-denial, may we look to the cross, 
and drink in the spirit of the Crucified. Wilt thou 
arm us against the temptations that may beset our 
path. Let not appetite or passion, low desire or 
unworthy love, make us forgetful of our divine 
sonship, and of the glorious destiny that awaits 
him who is faithful unto the end. May we take to 
ourselves the weapons of our Saviour's warfare ; 



66 ALTAR AT HOME. 

may we pray with all diligence, and watch con- 
stantly against evil, and thus may we come off more 
than conquerors. And not only may we resist the 
allurements of sin, may we feel that incessant pro- 
gress is at once our sacred duty and our blessed 
privilege ; that, if we indeed belong to Christ, we 
must be his close and ever closer followers ; and 
that our assurance of heavenly happiness can be 
made firm and clear only by having all our steps 
on earth tend heavenward. May we keep in mind 
the frailty of life and the possible nearness of death ; 
and wilt thou grant us grace so to live that to die 
shall be gain. Take us under thy merciful care this 
night. 

Bless, with us, those whom thou hast given us. 
May they all be thine ; and may every tie of kin- 
dred and affection be made the stronger and the 
dearer by Christian sympathy and a common inter- 
est in the great salvation. We commend to thee 
the poor, sick, and suffering ; those in error, igno- 
rance, and sin ; those who know not thee and obey 
not thy Gospel. May thy kingdom come, and thy 
will be done on earth as it is done in heaven ; for 
thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory 
forever. Amen. 



DEPENDENCE UPON GOD. 67 



XVI. 

DEPENDENCE UPON GOD. 

Man's wisdom is to seek 

His strength in God alone ; 
And e'en an angel would he weak, 

Who trusted in his own. 

Cowper. 

There is no sanctity, if thou, O Lord, withdraw thine 
hand. 

No wisdom availeth, if thou cease to guide ; 

No courage helpeth, if thou leave off to defend ; 

No chastity is secure, if thou do not protect it ; 

No custody of our own availeth, if thy sacred watchfulness 
be not present with us. — A Kempis. 

Fear thou not ; for I am with thee : be not dismayed ; for 
I am thy God : I will strengthen thee ; yea, I will help thee ; 
yea, I will uphold thee. 

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer ; 
my God, and my strength, in whom I will trust ; my buckler, 
and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 

In him we live and move and have our being. 

There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, against 
the Lord. 

I can do nothing without the help of God, and that even 
from moment to moment. — St. Athanasius. 



68 ALTAR AT HOME. 

The horse is prepared against the day of battle ; but safety 
is of the Lord. 

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me. 

The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety; and the 
Lord shall cover him all the day long. 

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep ; for thou, 
Lord, makest me dwell in safety. 

Morning. 

ALMIGHTY Father, again thy hand has lifted 
up the sun and restored us from sleep and 
dreams to thoughts of duty and the cares of our 
worldly business. It is thou that hast done it. 
We devoutly acknowledge our dependence on thee. 
Without the air we should gasp and die, and with- 
out thy spirit we should instantly become nothing. 
Thou art the life and law of all. ' We desire to be 
ever mindful of this solemn truth. O aid us, great 
God, to return in love and service, by obedience 
to thy commands, and kind deeds to our fellow- 
creatures, the unfailing gifts thou pourest on us. 
Let a sense of our pervading dependence on thy 
Spirit deepen our lives, and lead us more earnestly 
to meditate on thy requirements and consecrate 
ourselves to thy will. We pray to thee in the 
name of Jesus. O, hear our prayer, and answer 
it according to thine infinite wisdom and goodness. 
Amen. 



DEPENDENCE UPON GOD. 69 

Evening. 

THOU, O Father, of whose goodness another 
day has been added to our lives, art still with 
us as a friend and protector. Accept the thanks- 
giving which now, with united heart, we offer to 
thee with our evening devotions. For all our 
thoughts of peace, this day, we bless thee. For 
the strength which has been given us to use, and 
for the means which have been placed in our hands, 
we acknowledge our dependence upon thee. The 
day is thine and the night also. The cold and the 
heat, the seed-time and the harvest, are thine. 
From thee are bestowed all the good gifts by 
which our lives are sustained, and by which our 
home is made comfortable and happy. For these, 
and for the friends whom we can so fully love and 
trust, and for the instructions which guide us in 
the way of knowledge and duty, we thank thee, 
Almighty Father. 

May we have great comfort and peace in the 
thought that in thee do we live and move and have 
our being. May we be so at one with thyself that 
thine own holy purposes may indeed be accom- 
plished in all the various changes of our lives, and 
in every allotment of prosperity or adversity. May 
we so completely submit ourselves, and all we have, 
to thy disposal, that we may have no fear of evil 
while we do thy will. 



70 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Thou knowest, God, the imperfection of our 
understanding, and the frailty of our good resolves. 
But, in thy mercy, wilt thou pardon our ignorance 
and sin. And, according to thy blessed promises, 
make thou our strength equal to our duty, and give 
us wisdom in proportion to our need. Amen. 



XVII. 
PUR ITT. 

Immortal man, keep pure 

Thyself, that mystic shrine ; 

Let hate of all that's dark endure, 

And love of all divine. 

Johns. 

He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips 
the king shall be his friend. 

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 

Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, 
even as He is pure. 

If we did certainly believe that we were members of Christ, 
and God's temples, how should we but flee from all impurity 
and corruption of the world. — John Bradford. 

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, 
abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. 

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? or who shall 
stand in his holy place ? — 



PURITY. 71 

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart ; who hath 
not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 

Who can say I have made my heart clean, I am pure from 
my sin? 

Draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh unto you. 
Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts. 

Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 

Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me 
from my sin. 

Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of 
faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, 
and our bodies washed with pure water. 

Let us consider one another, to provoke unto love and to 
good works. 

Morning. 

OTHOU infinitely pure and holy God, we, thy 
dependent children, bless thee for the gift of a 
new day. We desire to humble ourselves in thy 
pure and perfect sight. The secrets of our hearts 
are known to thee. Thou seest every hidden 
frailty, every impurity in our affections and desires. 
Reveal to us these stains upon our souls. Save 
us from examining ourselves by poor and worldly 
standards, and lift our eyes to that perfect law 
which discerns the thoughts and intents of the 
heart. Let us never be content until we hear its 
sentence against our open and secret sins. 



72. ALTAR AT HOME. 

O God, unworthy as we are, how can we truly 
serve and worship thee ? We ask for a greater 
sincerity in all our prayers. Save us from wander- 
ing thoughts ; from coldness of heart. May every 
supplication be a deep cry of the soul for pardon 
and help. Give us a greater singleness of purpose 
every day in the work which thou givest us to do. 
Make it our constant aim to do thy will. Remove 
the selfishness from our breasts. Make our chari- 
ties sincere. Let them not be the unwilling offer- 
ings of the hands, but the free outpourings of love. 
Guard the temple of our hearts against the entrance 
of impure and evil thoughts. Close our ears against 
every whisper of envy, of uncharitableness, of pride, 
and rebuke every imagination which can defile our 
inmost soul. 

O Father, we can do nothing without thy help. 
Fix our affections upon thee, and then we shall be 
raised above the temptations of worldly thoughts. 
Turn us with all the heart towards thy truth, and 
evil will flee away. Create within us the spirit 
of our Master and Lord, and then may we walk 
securely through his divine strength. Almighty 
God, hear our earnest prayers, and never leave nor 
forsake us till thou hast cleansed the deepest springs 
of life, and made every thought and desire ac- 
ceptable to thee. We ask and offer all as disciples 
of thy dear Son, and through him to thee ascribe 
the glory and the praise. Amen. 



PURITY. 73 



Evening. 



PARENT of our soul, who hast made it inno- 
cent, modest, and pure, keep it as thou hast 
made it, or purify it, and make it again as thou 
wouldest have it kept. We are thy temple : may 
we not defile thy temple. May no low desires, 
impure passions, kill out the life of our soul. May 
not earthly love poison heavenly love : may not 
the lower love, snare of the feet, seeming joy 
but real anguish, clouding the generous thought, 
dulling the bright eye, making heavy the youth- 
ful face, — may it not get possession over us. O, 
do thou help us to keep under the body, and 
bring it into subjection, that we may not be cast- 
aways. 

But rather, Father, lift our thoughts to chaste 
and noble aims, purify our souls to the best de- 
sires ; if it be necessary, try us with purifying fire, 
as silver is tried, till all dross pass away. Fill our 
minds with noble thoughts, teach us to despise lux- 
ury, self-indulgence, and sin ; teach us to rise nearer 
to thee. May the purity of Christ's soul inspire our 
souls, and lead us away from disgraceful passions, 
which dishonor our names, and cloud our influence, 
and disturb our homes, and kill our hearts. Let 
heaven conquer earth within us, God conquer 
sense and sin, life triumph over all decay and death. 
As Christ our master walked in holiness and in all 

4 



74 ALTAR AT HOME. 

sweet, serene affections, so may we walk calm in 
true and good thoughts, delivered from the power 
of all evil, which we ask in Him. Amen. 



XVIII. 

CHRIST THE WAT. 

Thou art the way, — and he who sighs, 

Amid this starless waste of wo, 
To find a pathway to the skies, 

A light from heaven's eternal glow, 
By thee must come, thou gate of love, 

Through which the saints undoubting trod; 

Till faith discovers, like the dove, 

An ark, a resting-place in God. 

Anon. 

Jesus saith, I am the way, the truth, and the life ; no man 
cometh unto the Father but by me. 

Go where thou wilt, seek whatsoever thou wilt, thou shalt 
not find a higher way above, nor a safer way below, than the 
way of the holy Cross. — A Kempis. 

One ray of moral and religious truth is worth all the wis- 
dom of the schools. One lesson from Christ will carry you 
higher than years of study under those who are too enlight- 
ened to follow this celestial guide. — Channing. 

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, 
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 



CHRIST THE WAY. 75 

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the 
things which he suffered ; and being made perfect, he became 
the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. 

For other foundation can no man lay than is laid, which is 
Jesus Christ. 

Jesus spake, saying, I am the light of the world : he that 
followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the 
light of life. 

Teach me thy way, Lord, and lead me in a plain path. 

Jesus said, I am come a light into the world, that whosoever 
believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 

He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words, hath 
one that judgeth him : the word that I have spoken, the same 
shall judge him in the last day. 

For it had been better not to have known the way of 
righteousness, than, after having known it, to turn from the 
holy commandment. 

Morning. 

OTHOU Almighty and Eternal God, who dwell- 
est in light inaccessible and full of glory, we 
thank thee that thou dost visit thy children not 
alone in the outward light of day which is now 
shining around us, but that thou dost come to us 
more nearly and reveal thyself to us more clearly 
in him who is the way of truth and life. Lord, we 
believe in him ; help thou our unbelief. Help us 
to draw nigh to him and to commit ourselves entire- 
ly to his guidance. May we be ready to leave all 



76 ALTAR AT HOME. 

and follow him, walking securely because we walk 
with him. As we commune with him, may our 
hearts be touched and made better, renewed and 
sanctified by thy spirit. May he be to us the way, 
the truth, and the life, and, through his influence 
upon us, may the day which is now begun be a 
blessing to every one of us, and help us faithfully 
to fulfil all its duties. Bind us more tenderly to our 
friends. Cherish within us holy affections and de- 
sires, and lead us on in the way which he hath trod, 
to that world on which no morning sun shall rise, 
for the glory of the Lord doth lighten it, and the 
lamb is the light thereof. In his name, and by his 
disciples, we ask and offer all. And thine be the 
kingdom and the power and the glory, for ever and 
ever. Amen. 

Evening. 

HOLY Father, now the day is done and the 
shadows of night are falling around us, we 
would bow before thee in grateful recognition of 
thy guidance and care. We would call home our 
thoughts from the duties, labors, and pleasures in 
which we have been engaged, and fix them in rev- 
erent contemplation of our Divine Master. We 
need to correct our life, our thought, our heart, 
daily, by that holy pattern. We would set its 
blessed likeness in our souls, that our daily going 



CHRIST THE WAY. 77 

may have its constant presence and gentle admoni- 
tion. O God, we know the truth of thy Son, his 
blessed life, his childlike obedience, his unweary- 
ing toil, his holy patience and tender love. These 
are the way of the godly life to us, and may we be 
taught by thy Spirit, and by the experience of our 
own hearts, that this is our true life. Teach us that 
when we are away from Christ, we are away from 
our better selves, and away from thee. Help us to 
look back upon the day which has closed, that our 
hearts may have humiliation or devout gratitude, 
according as we have humbly sought to follow in 
our Master's footsteps ; and inspire us, O God, with 
devout and holy purpose to follow thy dear Son 
with renewed mind and heart. May the love where- 
with thou hast loved us in him lead us continually 
to penitence and contrition, that thy Spirit may 
dwell in us, and our life be hid with Christ in God. 
Thus may we find that living unto thee is life in- 
deed, and that our Lord is the way of that life. 

Come unto us now in thy gracious compassion, 
and let us he down in holy confidence and trust, for 
whether we wake, or whether we sleep, we are still 
with thee. Amen. 



78 ALTAR AT HOME. 



XIX. 
THE WISE CHOICE. 

May I resolve with all my heart, 

With all my powers, to serve the Lord ; 

Nor from his precepts e'er depart, 
Whose service is a rich reward. 

Mrs. Steele. 

Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. 

Call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one 
consent. 

Whom have I in heaven but thee, O Lord ? and there is 
none on earth that I desire beside thee. 

Thou art my God and I will thank thee ; thou art my God, 
and I will serve thee. 

I will abide in thy tabernacle forever ; I will trust in the 
covert of thy wings. 

To be silent, to suffer, to pray when we cannot act, is ac- 
ceptable to God. A disappointment, a contradiction, a harsh 
word received and endured as in his presence, is worth more 
than a long prayer. — Fe'nelon. 

Return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, 
between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not. 

By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be 
called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to 
suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the 
pleasures of sin for a season. 

O welcome service and ever to be desired, in which we 
are rewarded with the Greatest Good, and attain to joy which 
shall endlessly remain with us. — A Kempis. 



THE WISE CHOICE. 79 

Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a 
perfect heart and with a willing mind. If thou seek him, he 
will be found of thee. 

As a man, thou hast nothing to commend thee to thyself, 
but that only by which thou art a man ; that is, by what thou 
choosest and refusest. — Taylor. 

Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not. 

Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall 
be quiet from fear of evil. 



Morning. 

ALMIGHTY God, our merciful Father, we 
thank thee that thou hast heard our prayers, 
and hast blessed us with thy protection as the night 
went by. And now that a new day begins, — and 
we enter upon its duties, — we ask the same protec- 
tion, and the same blessing. Be pleased to remem- 
ber us, though we forget thee ; be pleased to show 
us how we can make good the resolutions of yester- 
day ; be pleased to show us what thou wouldst have 
us to do this day, that we may live to thy praise, as 
in the prayers and meditations of yesterday we have 
promised. Help us to choose the good, the true, 
the pure, and reject the evil. 

We ask thy blessing also upon all whom we love, 
who are not here with us. Be pleased to smile on 
all the other homes which are very dear to us, and 
teach us all that we are close together when we 
come to thee. 



80 ALTAR AT HOME. 

We pray for our country, for thy holy Church 
everywhere, and for all our brethren and sisters of 
mankind. 

In the name of the Lord Jesus, our Saviour. 
Amen. 

Evening. 

OUR Heavenly Father, the labors of the day are 
ended, and in thy loving providence we are 
drawing near to the hours of rest. We seek the 
shelter of thine arms. When we are sinking into 
unconsciousness, we feel more than ever that we 
live encompassed by mystery, and that we can only 
trust in the All-wise and the All-merciful. Father, 
let there be nothing between our souls and thee. 
We would surrender our all, our most precious 
treasure, into the keeping of the mighty and gra- 
cious God. If we are keeping back anything, may 
we keep it back no longer ! In times past, we have 
too often brought unto thee only half our hearts and 
half our possessions, and so we have had no peace ; 
and when the shades of night have gathered about 
us, we have been cast down, and disquieted, and 
fearful, we have taken anxious thought for the mor- 
row, and have not gloried in our cross, or rejoiced 
in the fellowship of the Lord's sufferings. Save us 
henceforth, dear Father, from our foolishness and 
our wickedness ! May we choose thee for our por- 



THE WISE CHOICE. 81 

tion, and the life of thy dear Son for our life, that 
we may have him with us henceforth in the house 
of feasting and the house of mourning, and break 
bread with him in the kingdom of God which he 
has established on earth. O Lord, we know that if 
we keep back anything it is to our great loss ; that 
if in one point we fail in trusting loyalty, we fail in 
all; knowing these things, may we do them ! Come, 
O thou guiding and gracious Spirit, and fill, warm, 
and satisfy our hearts ! May our eyes be open to 
behold thee, the Supreme Beauty. Too late have 
we learned to love thee, and yet not too late, for 
thou art infinite in compassion and wonderful in all 
thy ways, and thou regardest not the sinner of yes- 
terday, but the penitent and loving child who seeks 
thee now, prostrate at the feet of the ever-blessed 
Mediator. O dear God and Father, make us wholly 
thine ! May we love no child, no creature, of thine, 
save in thee, O Thou who art infinitely lovely, 
the Beginning and End of all perfection ! Let thy 
hand rest upon us ! From thy hand none shall be 
able to pluck us ! May we love thee ! May we have 
this proof of thy love, and that thou hast called us, 
and that nothing henceforth shall be able to separate 
us from thee ! So,, Father, may we live and die ! It 
is our prayer in Him who never did his own will, or 
sought his own glory. Amen. 

4* 



82 ALTAR AT HOME. 

XX. 

RETIREMENT AND MEDITATION. 

By all means use sometimes to be alone, 
Salute thyself; see what thy soul doth wear, 
Dare to look in thy chest ; for 't is thine own : 
And tumble up and down what thoufnd'st there. 
Who cannot rest till he good fellows finde, 
He breaks up house, turns out of doors his mind. 

Herbert. 

It is not hasty reading, but seriously meditating upon holy 
and heavenly truths, that makes them prove sweet and 
profitable to the soul. — Bishop Hall. 

How vain to excite in our hearts sacred and holy emotions, 
unless we are afterwards careful to close the outlet by dili- 
gent reflection and prayer, and so preserve it unspotted from 
the world. — Anon. 

Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. 

I will meditate on thy precepts, and have respect unto 
thy ways. 

When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou 
hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret ; and 
thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 

Thou art my hiding-place and my shield; I hope in thy 
word. 

Every person holds an inward conversation with himself 
which it highly concerns him well to regulate, because, even in 
this sense, evil conversations corrupt good manners. — Pascal. 



RETIREMENT AND MEDITATION. 83 

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the 
ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the 
seat of the scornful. 

But his delight is in the law of the Lord ; and in his law 
doth he meditate day and night 

He shall be like a tree planted by the river of water, that 
bringeth forth his fruit in his season ; his leaf also shall not 
wither ; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 

There must be leisure and retirement, solitude and a se- 
questration of man's self from the noise and toil of the world ; 
for truth scorns to be seen by eyes too much fixed upon 
inferior objects. — Dr. South. 

Thou art my rock and my fortress ; therefore for thy name's 
sake lead me and guide me. 

Morning. 

INFINITE Father, before engaging in our daily 
duties and daily cares, we would desire to com- 
mune with our own souls, and with thee. In this 
morning quiet let us hear thy voice in our hstening 
hearts. We remember that thy well-beloved Son, 
the sinless and perfect one, went into a mountain, 
apart from men, for prayer to thee. How infinite 
the need of such meditation and prayer for thy 
faltering and sinful children ! Thou hast promised 
to draw nigh to those who draw nigh to thee. 
Thou wilt reveal thy truth, and manifest thy love to 
the sincere and single heart. Help us to gain that 
singleness of heart which will prepare us to receive 



84 ALTAR AT HOME. 

so great a blessing. "We need that thy Spirit should 
touch our breasts to enable us to pray aright, and 
truly fix our thoughts on thee. O, hear our ear- 
nest cries for the grace to make our souls meet to 
become thy temple, and thy dwelling-place. 

O God, our palliations for our frailties and sins 
are gone when we come into thy presence. Our 
vain self-defences die upon our tongues. We cannot 
speak them to thine ear. We can only speak with 
the confession of the publican, and plead for mercy. 
And yet, O Father, though these meditations be- 
fore thee prostrate us in humility, may we come to 
thee in lowly joy. Set all our sins in order before 
us in the light of thy countenance. May we be 
strangers to all the world, rather than strangers to 
our own hearts. Rend away every disguise of 
selfishness and sin, and let us see what unworthy 
guests we have permitted to enter into our secret 
breasts, that we may drive them all | away through 
thy assisting grace. 

And then, O God, crown all thy mercies by send- 
ing angel-thoughts to minister to us forevermore. 
May we long after thee as the hart panteth after 
the water-brooks. May we lay up within our souls 
an ur fading treasure of holy affections and heavenly 
aspirations, which shall be the earnest and the fore- 
taste of that life which is eternal. Grant us thus to 
find our strength and our rest in thee, and then take 
us to thyself, in that forgiving love made known by 
Jesus, our Redeemer. Amen, 






RETIREMENT AND MEDITATION. 85 

Evening. 

OTHOU, who art the Witness and Judge of 
the actions and thoughts of men ! We do not 
presume to justify ourselves in the sight of Him 
before whom the very heavens are not clean. If 
we have sinned against thee during the day which 
is now closing over us, we beseech thee to pardon 
us, and to help us by thy Holy Spirit that we sin no 
more. 

May we be more watchful for the time to come 
against the wiles and snares of the world, its en- 
grossing cares, and evil counsels, and corrupt exam- 
ples. May we remember that thine eye is upon us 
in all places, at all times. By seasons of retirement 
and meditation, by reading thy holy word, by secret 
prayer, by holding communion with our own souls, 
may we nourish and strengthen this sense of the 
Divine Presence, and so keep ourselves from the 
very thought of sin. 

Grant, O most merciful Father, that the experi- 
ence of this day, and of all our days, may help to 
train us up for honor and glory and immortality, 
through that grace which thou hast promised in 
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 



86 ALTAR AT HOME. 

XXI. 

AFFLICTION AND ADVERSITY. 

Lord, shall we grumble when thy flames do scourge usf 
Our sins breathe fire ; that fire returns to purge us. 
Lord, what an alchymist art thou, whose skill 
Transmutes to perfect good from perfect ill. 

Francis Quarles. 

Call upon me in the time of trouble, so will I hear thee, 
and thou shalt praise me. 

I will love thee, O God; being satisfied that all things, 
however strange and irksome they appear, shall work together 
for good to those that do so. — Wilson. 

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. 

Fortify my soul, that I may receive troubles, afflictions, 
disappointments, sickness, and death itself, without amaze- 
ment. — Wilson. 

Remember your comforts in the day of affliction, and your 
afflictions in the day of rejoicing. 

If we have been bereaved of the choicest blessings, we have 
enjoyed them too ; to be bereft is the lot of all ; to enjoy is 
not the lot of many. — St. Gregory of Nazianzum. 

The virtue of prosperity is temperance, the virtue of adver- 
sity is fortitude. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testa- 
ment, adversity is the blessing of the new, which carrieth 
the greater benediction, and the clearer revelation of God's 
favor. — Bacon. 



AFFLICTION AND ADVERSITY. 87 

The disappointments I meet with may be absolutely neces- 
sary for my eternal welfare. — Wilson. 

Let me never murmur, be dejected, t>r impatient, under 
any of the troubles of this life. — Wilson. 

It is good that we have sometimes some troubles and 
crosses; for they often make a man enter into himself, and 
consider that he is here in banishment, and ought not to place 
his trust in any worldly thing. — A Kempis. 

We have need of all our crosses. God wills our suffer- 
ing, that it may purify us, and render us worthy of him. — 
Fenelon. 

Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom 
of God! 

Certainly virtue is like precious odors, most fragrant when 
they are incensed, or crushed; for prosperity doth best dis- 
cover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue. — Anon. 

Morning. 

SUPREME Disposer! Source of all strength 
and consolation ! Awakened by thy call from 
the slumbers thou hast granted, we bring our morn- 
ing tribute unto thee. With lowliness of mind 
would we own our constant dependence on thee ; 
and while we thank thee for what thou givest, we 
would be submissive in regard to whatever thou de- 
niest, or takest from us. What have we, O Lord, 
that we did not receive ? Why, then, should we 
murmur, as though something of our own was with- 
held from us, when thou callest us to privation ? 



88 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Rather let us feel that all thou wiliest is best, and 
rejoice that, whatever affliction we may endure, thou 
grantest us still the light of thy countenance. May 
we realize that light still more, feeling, when earthly 
comforts depart, that thou art the all-sufficient por- 
tion of our souls ; and receiving from thee that 
peace which the world cannot give nor take away. 
May we remember, when we encounter sorrow, that 
such has been the lot of thy faithful servants through 
all time ; and that our blessed Saviour himself was 
" made perfect through sufferings." Grant us thy 
grace, O Lord, that, if we are called to resemble 
him in endurance, we may have the resemblance 
also of his meek submission to thee, and his earnest 
and loving zeal for the good of mankind. May we 
bear, then, steadfastly, knowing that through thy 
grace the hour will come when sorrow shall pass 
away, and those who have endured it well shall be 
crowned with "a far more exceeding and eternal 
weight of glory." Be thou with us, O Father, this 
day and every day ; and as with us, so be thou with 
all who suffer, that their afflictions may be sanctified 
to their good ; and to thee, in the blessed name of 
our Redeemer, be praises in the highest forever. 
Amen, 



Evening. 

provident 
whose compassion is that of a tender father or 



f~\ THOU whose providential care is over all, 






AFFLICTION AND ADVERSITY. 89 

a loving mother, look upon us, thy children, as we 
gather around this family altar, and make our com- 
mon supplications before thee. All things are sub- 
ject to thy disposal, and thou doest all things well. 
We presume not to fathom the deep counsels of the 
All- wise, but where we cannot understand we would 
bow in perfect submission and adore. Our minds 
are dark, wilt thou illumine them! Our faith is 
weak, wilt thou strengthen it ! Our thoughts wan- 
der from thee, wilt thou call them back that they 
may rest in thee ! Our hearts are bound to the 
earth, wilt thou break the bonds, that our hearts 
may rise to thee and find in thee a perfect peace ! 
Help us to see in all our afflictions and adversities 
the chastening of a father, and let us remember the 
gracious promises of thy holy word, and take cour- 
age ; and exchange the spirit of heaviness for that 
of cheerful trust, knowing that whom the Lord lov- 
eth he chasteneth, and that with every temptation 
he maketh a way of escape. 

Sad are our memories as we recall joys that are 
past never to return ; but let us not forget that thou 
gavest what thou hast taken, and that for a season 
we were permitted to rejoice in the possession. If 
at any time the prospect seems dark before us, let 
us not be dismayed, but, putting our hand in thine, 
and following whither thou leadest, may we go on 
our way rejoicing, — rejoicing in thy goodness and 
loving-kindness, and in thy great mercy. 



90 ALTAR AT HOME. 

O God, thou wilt not forsake us, nor try us be- 
yond our strength ; and we know thou art a very 
present help in time of trouble. Let us seek to 
learn the lesson that thou wouldst teach us, and set 
our affections on tilings above, and have our conver- 
sation in heaven, looking to Jesus, the Author and 
Finisher of our faith. So may we enter into his 
kingdom, where is fulness of joy, and dwell at thy 
right hand, where are pleasures evermore. Amen. 



XXII. 
SEEKING THE GLORT OF GOD. 

Teach me, my God and King, 

In all things thee to see ; 
And what I do in anything, 

To do it as for thee. 

Herbert. 

Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord 
glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto 
his name. 

Truly all human glory, all temporal honor, all worldly 
highness, compared to thy eternal glory is vanity and folly. — 
A Kempis. 

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens ; let thy glory 
be above all the earth. 



SEEKING THE GLORY OF GOD. 91 

TVe shall especially honor God, by discharging faithfully 
those offices which God hath intrusted us -with ; by improving 
diligently those talents which God hath committed to us. — 
Dr. Barrow. 

Grant that the end of all my actions and designs may be 
the glory of God. — Wilson. 

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth 
wonderful things. 

Blessed be his glorious name forever, and let the whole 
earth be filled with his glory. 

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 

To proclaim the glory of God, to acknowledge it, to attest it 
in his earthly temples : this ought to be the desire of every one, 
the intention of all men, the end of religion. — St. Ambrose. 

If we study to honor God, we cannot do it better than by 
confessing our sins, and laying ourselves low at the feet of 
Christ. — Mason. 

The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens ; and his 
kingdom ruleth over all. 

Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that 
do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 

Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts ; ye ministers of his, that do 
his pleasure. 

Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion : 
bless the Lord, O my soul. 

Morning. 

ALMIGHTY God, thou hast watched over us 
and kept us through the night ; thou hast 
given thy beloved sleep, and we would receive our 



92 ALTAR AT HOME. 

powers anew, refreshed by thy touch. Thy power 
and wisdom and love are displayed in the wonders 
of our frame, in the grateful succession of day and 
night, for our labqr and our rest ; in the provision 
of many comforts and blessings, which thy provi- 
dence hath made for us. As we arise from rest, to 
enter upon the active enjoyment and use of thy 
gifts, may we remember that even as it is thy glory 
that thou art good, and doest good continually, so 
thou art glorified by thy children, when their life is 
moved by pure affections and devout trust. Help 
us to seek thine honor and glory, in bringing our 
souls into glad obedience to thy law and love. May 
we know that to honor thee is to love thee, and to 
glorify thee is to obey thee. "We adore thy wonders 
as they are set forth in the universe which thou hast 
made. Wherever we turn, to the earth beneath, or 
to the heavens above, our eyes behold the tokens of 
the divine benignity and power. O God, let thy 
spirit revive, and thy love satisfy our souls, till thou 
shalt be exalted in our thought and glorified in our 
lives. May a deep sense of being united to thee by 
ties of spiritual affection give us abiding peace and 
joy, that we may know what is that glory of our 
God that is above the heavens. 

Keep us each one to-day in thy love ; help us to 
be honest, faithful, kind. And when the day is 
finished, may we have the testimony of good hearts 
that we have served thee, our Father and our God. 
Amen. 



SEEKING THE GLORY OF GOD. 93 

EVENING. 

OGOD, our Heavenly Father ! May the ex- 
perience of the past day help to bring us 
nearer to thee. At all times, and in all places, we 
are encompassed by the tokens of thy paternal love 
and care. Even the disappointments and sorrows 
which are mingled in our earthly lot, — help us to 
feel that they also are good, that they are neces- 
sary to chasten our desires, and purify our affections, 
and enlarge our capacities for the heavenly life. 

If we can make no other return for thy unfailing 
goodness, may we at least show that we can be 
thankful. May we set thee, the Lord, always be- 
fore us, remembering that our faculties are thy gift ; 
that we are acting in thy presence ; that our days 
are rapidly passing away ; that life is a sacred trust. 
Whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, may 
we do all to thy glory. 

Waking or sleeping, we put our whole trust in 
thy mercy declared unto us by our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 



94 ALTAR AT HOME. 

XXIII. 
HUMILITY. 

0, learn that it is only by the lowly 

The paths of peace are trod ; 
If thou wouldst keep thy garments white and holy, 

Walk humbly with thy God. 

Christian Eegister. 

I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that 
is among you, not' to think of himself more highly than he 
ought to think ; but to think soberly. 

For all the world, all that we are, and all that we have, 
our bodies and our souls, our actions and our sufferings, our 
conditions at home, our accidents abroad, our many sins and 
our seldom virtues, are so many arguments to make our souls 
dwell low in the deep valleys of humility. — Taylor. 

The humble enjoy continual peace, but in the heart of the 
proud is envy, and frequent indignation. — A Kempis. 

Better it is to have a small portion of good sense with hu- 
mility, and a slender understanding, than great treasures of 
many sciences with vain self-complacency. — A Kempis. 

By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor 
and life. 

The truly humble Christian never inquires into the faults 
of his neighbor, — he takes no pleasure in judging them, — he 
occupies himself solely with his own. — St. Athanasius. 

When thou canst bear grievous things, against thy will, yet 
willingly, know that thou hast made proficiency in humility. — 
St. Ephraim. 






HUMILITY. ■ 95 

Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination unto the 
Lord : though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. 

God protecteth the humble and delivereth him ; the humble 
he loveth and comforteth ; unto the humble man he inclineth 
himself; unto the humble he giveth great grace ; and after 
his humiliation he raiseth him to glory. — A Kempis. 

God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 
Submit yourselves therefore to the Lord. Humble yourselves 
in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 

Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the 
lowly : but the proud he knoweth afar off. 

Morning. 

OUR Heavenly Father, we would draw nigh 
unto thee with deep humility of heart. In 
the light of thine infinite purity we are unholy. The 
sacred flame of devotion burns feebly within us. 
Our affections are cold and languid. We harbor 
wicked desires, cherish secret sins, and have trans- 
gressed thy most holy law. Weak, frail, and needy, 
we would seek thine almighty strength and heavenly 
guidance. Borne on the winds of passion, exposed 
to temptation, and subject to trial, we have failed to 
obey thee. Bow down thine ear, for we are poor 
and needy. We do not merit thy favor, but trust 
in thine infinite and constant love. Sinful as we 
are, thou wilt not hide thy face from us. Thine ear 
is open to hear the cry of thy penitent children. 
We rejoice that in our humiliation thou wilt hear 



96 ALTAR AT HOME. 

and answer our prayers. Turn not away from the 
pleading of our anguished souls. Thou delightest 
not in sacrifice ; else would we give it. The sacri- 
fices of God are a broken spirit ; a broken and a con- 
trite heart thou wilt not despise. "We come, then, in 
this morning hour to lay open our souls before thee. 
Thou knowest our inmost thoughts. Thou readest 
the secrets of the heart ; grant us, we beseech thee, 
of thy renewing grace. We would walk humbly 
this day. May we live so near to thee, that our 
thoughts shall dwell in close intimacy and constant 
companionship with thy truth. May we so learn 
from the instructions and example of our Saviour as 
to be filled, with confidence in thy forgiving mercy, 
with peace and heavenly joy. May we take upon 
us the Christian yoke, and learn of Him who was 
meek and lowly of heart, and thus find rest and 
peace for our souls, through our Lord and Saviour 
Jesus Christ. Amen, 

Evening. 

ALMIGHTY Father, Maker of heaven and 
earth, we indeed are, in thy sight, but as of 
yesterday, so imperfect is our best knowledge, so 
frail our own strength, and so liable are we to be 
overtaken with faults. But we bring before thee 
our tribute of praise and our supplication of prayer, 
because thou hast taught us, by thy Son, in all our 



HUMILITY. 97 

weakness and unworthiness to come to thee, in the 
confidence that thou wilt not reject any who sin- 
cerely seek thy face. We would, at this hour, join 
our lowly homage with that which so many, as we 
trust, who reverence the majesty of thy great name, 
are offering, in the homes where thy goodness is 
felt. We pray that we may be more worthy of thy 
mercy. Show to us the needs of our own hearts. 
May we think of ourselves as thou dost think of 
us, when thou searchest us and seest our inmost 
thoughts. May thy goodness lead us to repentance. 
Wilt thou pardon the sins which we strive to forsake. 
May we learn of Him who gave himself for us, the 
just for the unjust, how to become thy true children 
by serving, for their good, those whom thou hast 
created to be with us in the world. May we seek 
not the honor which comes from man, but the honor 
which comes from God. May we trust not in our- 
selves, but in thy grace assisting us. And wilt thou 
keep us this night, and all our nights and days, from 
evil. Amen. 



98 ALTAR AT HOME. 



XXIV. 
CHEERFULNESS. 

Lord, with what courage and delight 

I do each thing, 
When thy least breath sustains my wings I 

I shine and move 

Like those above, 

And, with much gladness 

Quitting sadness, 
Make me fair days of every night. 

Vaughan. 

Cheerfully perform what lieth in thee, according to the best 
of thy power and understanding. — A Kempis. 

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. 

Cheerfulness and a festival spirit fills the soul full of har- 
mony ; it composes music for churches and hearts ; it makes 
and publishes glorifications of God ; it produces thankfulness 
and serves the end of charity. — Taylor. 

When the oil of gladness runs over, it makes bright and tall 
emissions of light and holy fires, reaching up to a cloud, and 
making joy round about. — Taylor. 

Therefore, since it is so innocent, and may be so pious and 
full of holy advantage, whatsoever can innocently minister to 
this holy joy does set forward the work of religion and char- 
ity. — Taylor. 

He that showeth mercv, let him do it with cheerfulness. 



CHEERFULNESS. 99 

I will be glad and rejoice in thee ; I will sing praise to thy 
name, O thou Most High. 

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing 
praises unto thy name, O Most High. 

I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live ; I will sing praise 
to my God while I have my being. 

My meditation of him shall be sweet ; I will be glad in the 
Lord. 

If there be joy in the world, surely a man of a pure heart 
possesseth it. — A Kempis. 

Let us go on our way in the simplicity of our hearts, with 
the peace and joy that are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. — 
Fenelon. 

There is a joy which is not given to the ungodly, but to 
those who love Thee for thine own sake, whose joy thou thy- 
self art. — St. Augustine. 



Morning. 

OUR Father, we thank thee for thy protection 
during the night that is past, and ask thy bless- 
ing on the day that is to come. 

Grant us the sense of thy presence to cheer, and 
thy light to direct us, and give us strength for thy 
service. And yet more, Father, give us thine own 
help and blessing in our sorrows, our faintness, our 
failure and sin. Thou knowest that we cannot bear 
our burdens alone. We are only little children, and 
the world seems very dark to us, and our path very 



100 ALTAR AT HOME. 

hard, if we are alone. But we are thy little chil- 
dren ; and so we know we can come to our Father, 
to ask thee to help us, and enliven us, and strength- 
en us, and give us hope. We are not ashamed of 
our tears, for our Lord has wept with us. We do 
not ask thee to take away our sorrow, for He was 
made perfect through suffering ; but we do ask thee 
to be with us as thou wert with Him, our Father, 
close to thy little ones, even as he as promised us. 
Amen. 

EVENING. 

OUR Father, who art in heaven, we would close 
the day at thy mercy-seat, with thy name upon 
our lips, and thoughts of thee in full possession of 
our hearts. Look in mercy, we beseech thee, upon 
whatever in our lives to-day has not been according 
to thy will ; and if we have done right, generously 
serving others, in devout obedience to thee ; if we 
have made evil weaker, the temptations to sin less 
dangerous ; if we have made one human soul, one 
of thy children, stronger, purer, better ; if we have 
done aught to make light shine into dark places, and 
cause Heaven to dawn upon waiting souls ; — we 
thank thee for the opportunity and power to do such 
good. O that we may more and more appreciate 
the privilege of being fellow- workers with thee, and 
with Jesus Christ thy Son, in bringing salvation to 



CHEERFULNESS. 101 

our fellow-men and to ourselves ! Father, impress 
it upon us, that the true wisdom is to live and work 
with thee. Aid us to sound these depths. " Thou 
in us, and we in thee." O, give us the joy and 
peace of such fellowship with thy spirit, and our 
evenings will be peaceful, and our mornings full of 
hope and joy. Through all our experience thou art 
teaching us that there is no lasting cheerfulness, 
no real peace but in connection with a conscience 
void of offence, and an assurance that our life 
is near to thee, and in harmony with thy will. 
Gracious Father, by thy Spirit lead us to the feet 
of Christ. May we learn of him how to live, so 
that even while here below Heaven shall be open- 
ing its bliss and glory to us. 

Now we lay ourselves down to sleep, may the 
good angels of thy care and love be round about 
us. We ask for thy mercies as disciples of Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 



[02 ALTAR AT HOME. 



XXV 



LOVE TO JESUS. 

Thou, at whose almighty word 

Fair light at first from darkness shone, 

Teach us to know our glorious Lord, 
And trace the Father in the Son ! 

While we thine image, there displayed, 

With love and admiration view, 

Form us in likeness to our Head, 

That we may bear thine image too. 

Mason. 

He that findeth Jesus, findeth a good treasure ; yea, a good 
above all good. — A Kempis. 

Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever. 

All men should honor the Son, even as they honor the 
Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the 
Father which hath sent him. 

Jesus said, If a man love me, he will keep my words. 

He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings : and the 
word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's, which 
sent me. 

He that hateth me, hateth my Father also. 

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of 
God : and every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him 
also that is begotten of him. 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. 



LOVE TO JESUS. 103 

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name 
of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by 
him. 

Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for- 



MoRNING. 

ALMIGHTY Father, we thank thee for the 
manifold blessings we enjoy at thy hand. 
For the gift of life, — renewed this morning, — 
with all its opportunities and privileges ; for health 
and the supply of our daily wants ; for the ties of 
friendship and the sacred relation of the family 
circle, we thank thee. 

But especially we thank thee for the gift of thy 
Son, our Saviour, who, by his perfect manifestation 
of thine infinite goodness, has revealed thee to us, 
as a Father we may love and trust, while we rev- 
erence and adore. 

May the gratitude which should fill our hearts 
overflow in affection for him who has rendered us 
this inestimable service ; and may that affection 
bring forth fruits worthy of its divine prompting. 
May it make us patient and forbearing, cheerful, 
unselfish, trustful. Bring us nearer to thee. Help 
us to feel that this blessed Saviour was sent to draw 
us closer to thine embrace, — even us, of this family 
group: and while we acknowledge our unfitness, 



104 ALTAR AT HOME. 

our shortcomings and imperfections, may the re- 
membrance of his pure life — though he was 
tempted in all points as we are — stimulate us to 
walk in the narrow path which leadeth upwards 
to thy throne. 

Teach us to know Christ, — which knowledge is 
sufficient, with thy blessing, to make us wise unto 
salvation, — salvation from sin, and the suffering of 
a guilty conscience. 

Our petitions we offer in the name of thy Son, 
our Saviour. Amen, 

Evening. 

OGOD, in whom we live, so great and so 
infinitely above us, and yet so near, — filling 
immensity with thy presence, and yet dwelling 
closely with the lowliest of thy creatures ; adorable 
in thy majesty and power, and yet so tender and 
worthy to be loved, — we would draw near to thee 
in humble and grateful praise. 

It is Thou that givest to all things their being. 
Thou givest to the stars their light, and to the earth 
its fruits, and to each one of us the blessings of our 
lives. 

And yet, O our Father, how forgetful we have 
been of thee ! Forgive us, Almighty God. And 
now, as we resign ourselves again to thy watchful 
care, help us to realize thy goodness, and return to 
thee love for love. 



LOVE TO JESUS. 105 

Above all, we remember Him whom thou didst 
send into the world, as pledge and manifestation of 
the infinite richness of thy grace. Gratefully and 
tremblingly we thank thee for this precious gift, 
and for the assurance, that, in the mildness and com- 
passion of Jesus, and in his tender, unwearied love, 
we see only the reflection of thyself. 

O, let it not be that he has come to us in vain ! 
May the remembrance of his holy life, and of his 
love for man, of his prayers for our redemption, his 
acts of goodness and his death for our sake, melt 
and conquer our forgetful and rebellious hearts. 
And may our narrow and sensual natures expand 
with a purer affection, as we behold the glory of 
God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

Teach us, through loving him, to imitate his 
spirit. May we become pure, as he was pure, and, 
like him, may we make it our meat and drink to do 
thy holy will. 

And unto thee, through him, we would render 
glory and praise, now and evermore. Amen. 



5* 



106 ALTAR AT HOME. 

XXVI. 

AGAINST ANGER. 

Quench Thou the fires of hate and strife, 

The wasting fever of the heart; 
From perils guard our feeble life, 

And to our souls thy peace impart. 

Breviary. 

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger resteth in 
the bosom of fools. 

First keep thyself in peace, and then shalt thou be able to 
pacify others. — A Kempis. 

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty ; and he 
that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city. 

A passionate man turneth even good to evil, and easily be- 
lieveth the worst. — A Kempis. 

Anger, of all passions, endeavors most to make reason use- 
less. It is neither manly nor ingenuous. It is a confluence 
of all the irregular passions : there is in it envy and sorrow, 
fear and scorn, pride and prejudice, rashness and inconsidera- 
tion, rejoicing in evil and a desire to inflict it, self love, impa- 
tience, and curiosity. — Taylor. 

Give me a mild and meek and peaceable spirit, that, re- 
membering my own infirmities, I may bear with those of 
others. — Wilson. 

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, 
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 



AGAINST ANGER. 107 

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man abound- 
eth in transgression. 

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and 
evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. 

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath ; fret not thyself in 
any wise to do evil. 

He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding ; but he 
that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. 

Morning. 

OTHOU Eternal One, whose power created 
and whose presence guides all thy works, we 
praise thee with grateful hearts that we are con- 
sidered worthy of existence in thy creation ! "We 
thank thee that we, who are so weak amid powers 
so awful, who are so helpless in the midst of ne- 
cessities so pressing, so liable to sin where the 
effects of sin are so cruel, can look up to thee, the 
Creator and Ruler of all, and feel that our poor 
souls are more precious in thy sight than all the 
universe beside ; that, with all thy cares, thou dost 
still care for us ; with all thy working in law, thou 
dost still bless and help and inspire, in the lib- 
erty of love. As we find ourselves driven about 
by destinies which we cannot control, and see our 
fondest hopes perish, and our most cherished in- 
terests fail, help us, O our Father, to feel that all 
things are ordered in love ; that our disappoint- 



108 ALTAR AT HOME. 

ments are our best discipline, and our failures the 
occasions of our best and truest success. May we, 
therefore, not faint when we are rebuked of thee, 
knowing that thou dost not chasten us for thy 
pleasure, but for our profit. 

Save us from all impatience and restiveness 
under the discipline of our lot. Especially save us 
from anger. Help us to restrain the fearful pas- 
sion ere it rise in harsh words, or frowning looks, 
or cruel deeds ; ere it destroy our peace of mind 
and the happiness of all with whom we are asso- 
ciated. Thou knowest the bitterness of our re- 
pentance, whenever we yield to this enemy of all 
that is beautiful and blessed in life ; how we loathe 
our weakness and folly ! Save us, we pray thee, 
from the unrest and wretchedness which follow all 
transgressions. May we overcome the evil within 
us, by loving all that is good and lovely in others, 
and, by helping our neighbor, forget, and thus con- 
quer ourselves. Hear us in tins earnest prayer of 
our hearts. Keep us this day in purity and peace, 
and may we do, think, feel, nothing which is not 
acceptable in thy sight ; and to thy name shall be 
the glory and honor forever. Amen. 



H 



EVENING. 

OLY and good God, our Father, we thank 
thee for life through another day. Thou 



AGAINST ANGER. 109 

hast given us strength to bear its burdens and per- 
form its duties. Through thee we have enjoyed its 
good and escaped its dangers. Thy power is over 
us, a covering and a defence by night. Day and 
night are thine, and for both we praise and give 
thee thanks, who alone makest us to dwell in safety. 
For whatsoever of good we have had strength and 
opportunity to do, we give thee the glory, for it is 
thou who workest in us both to will and to do of 
thy good pleasure. With the labors and cares of 
the day that is gone, help us to lay aside all evil 
and unhappy feelings, and to be at rest. May 
there be in us no discontent with thy Providence, 
no impatience or ill will towards our fellow-beings. 
Now, in the stillness of the night, we call thee to 
mind, whom too often we forget in the noise of the 
day. We rejoice that thou art ever mindful of us. 
If this day we have knowingly sinned against thee, 
may we sincerely repent, and make confession in 
our hearts to thee; and do thou, O God, forgive 
us, and make our repentance effectual. How rich 
thy love, which has blessed us so long and abun- 
dantly ! When we have turned from thee, and 
done wrong, and in many things come short of our 
duty, thou hast not in anger cast us off, but hast 
still been kind. May thy tender mercy to us lead 
us to be patient and kind to each other and to all. 
May we live in love, that thou mayest dwell in us. 
Let us not suffer any angry or resentful thought to 



HO ALTAR AT HOME. 

remain in us now, a spring of sin and bitterness, 
driving out thy Holy Spirit. May we truly and 
wholly forgive any that have injured or caused pain 
to us. We ask of thee the sleep which renews our 
weary bodies, but first we pray that thy peace may 
be in our hearts, that we may He down in charity 
with all. 

God of our lives and Father of our spirits, watch 
over us, and those whom we love ; keep us from 
danger, suffering, and death. Yet prepare us, O 
God, for the night from which we shall not wake on 
earth, that we may rise from it to an eternal and 
blessed life. 

Grant us thy blessing, through Jesus, our Lord 
and Saviour, in whom we praise and glorify thee, 
our Father and God. Amen. 



XXVII. 
WEARY NOT IN WELL-DOING. 

0, may I never faint nor tire, 
Nor, wandering, leave His sacred ways ! 

Great God ! accept my soul's desire, 
And give me strength to live thy praise. 

Mrs. Steele. 

Be not wearied out by the labors which thou hast under- 
taken for my sake, nor let tribulations cast thee down ever at 



WEARY NOT IN WELL-DOING. HI 

all ; but let my promise strengthen and comfort thee under 
every circumstance. — A Kempis. 

The labor of the righteous tendeth to life ; the fruit of the 
wicked, to sin. 

A faithful man shall abound with blessings. 

Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall 
reap if we faint not. 

Happy that soul which death finds rich, not in gold, furni- 
ture, learning, reputation, or barren purposes and desires, 
but in good works. — Wilson. 

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor 
of love, which ye showed towards his name. 

Be not slothful, but followers of them who, through faith 
and patience, inherit the promises. 

For religion cannot change, though we do ; and, if we do, 
we have left God ; and whither he can go that goes from God, 
his own sorrows will soon enough instruct him. — Taylor. 

The Lord giveth power to the faint ; and to them that have 
no might he increaseth strength. 

They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. 

They shall mount up with wings, as eagles ; they shall run, 
and not be weary ; and they shall walk, and not faint. 

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my 
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my 
Father in his throne. 



W 



Morning. 

E thank thee, O thou Preserver of men, that 
thou hast permitted us to wake, refreshed 



112 ALTAR AT HOME. 

by the repose of the night, to behold the cheering 
light of the morning, and to enter with renewed 
strength upon the duties of another day. "We 
adore thee for thy unwearied mercy, of which we 
have been constantly partakers. We bless thee 
that thou hast given us intelligence to perceive, and 
hearts to feel, thy ever-flowing goodness. With 
our minds and our hearts would we praise thee. O 
that we might also glorify thee, this day, in our 
lives ! Quicken us, we beseech thee, to do thy will. 
Let gratitude incite us to diligence in thy service. 
Let thy new blessings provoke us to new obedience. 
Help us, O Lord, to resume, this day, the great 
work of life with renewed zeal and resolution. If 
it be thy will, may it be a day of activity and accom- 
plishment. May we do with our might whatsoever 
our hands find to do. May we not yield to sloth or 
any weakness. May each hour be well spent, and 
each duty, as it presents itself, be met with a cheer- 
ful and devoted spirit, — be done as for thee, with 
the alacrity of filial love. 

We pray for courage, fortitude, and persever- 
ance. Strengthen us, O Lord, with might by thy 
Spirit in the inner man. Let our hearts be set to 
do one thing, — to reach forth towards what is be- 
fore ; to press towards the mark for the prize of the 
high calling of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord ; — 
turning neither to the right hand nor to the left 
from the narrow wav that leadeth unto life. 



WEARY NOT IN WELL-DOING. 113 

that we might be able to spend this day in such a 
manner as to approve ourselves in thy sight; to 
keep a conscience void of offence ; to perform use- 
ful service to our fellow-men, and lay up for our- 
selves treasure in heaven, — so that if, in thy wise 
providence, it should be the last of our earthly days, 
it may be the best and brightest ! 

But, Heavenly Father, whatever the day may 
bring forth, — whether strength or weakness, joy or 
sorrow, success or failure, life or death, be awaiting 
us in its unknown course, — we would go forward 
without anxiety or apprehension; trusting all to 
thee, to whom we breathe our prayer, and who wilt 
cause all things to work together for good to them 
that seek thee. Hallowed be thy name. Thy 
kingdom come ; thy will be done on earth, as it is 
in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. For- 
give us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And 
lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from 
evil ; for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and 
the glory, forever. Amen. 

EVENING. 

O BLESSED God, the day is thine, the night 
also is thine. Thine infinite patience and 
love are still over us, and, as we lie down to rest, 
we would feel a reverent confidence and joy that 
thou art our keeper. The day that has closed has 



114 ALTAR AT HOME. 

carried its record up to thee. Forgive us, O God, 
if in anything we have been unfaithful or unkind. 
Let us contemplate thy goodness and faithfulness 
until we shall feel the joy of a soul filled with duty 
and love. Thou knowest our weakness, how our 
good purposes and pure desires too often weary and 
faint. We need thine aid. O condemn us not, 
but pity us and help us according to thy love. If 
we have failed of any good intent which we felt in 
our hearts when we went out in the morning, O 
renew our mind, that, if our lives are preserved, 
we may return to our duty on the morrow with 
stronger and holier purpose ; may we be sup- 
ported by the thought that, whatever we do as 
unto God, is a service of God which thou wilt not 
despise. And so may our common labors contin- 
ually refresh our souls with the consciousness of 
thine approval. Keep us to-night ; give us sweet 
sleep, and awake us in the morning to joy and 
gladness in thee. Amen. 



SOWING AND REAPING. 115 

XXYIII. 
SOWING AND REAPING. 

Do thy best always, — do it noiv, — 

For in the present time, 
As in the furrows of a plough, 

Fall seeds of good or crime. 

The sun and rain will ripen fast 

Each seed that thou hast sown ; 
And every act and word at last 

By its own fruit be known. 

Jones Very. 

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall 
doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with 
him. 

Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters. 

He that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly ; and he that 
soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully. 

They that plough iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the 
same. 

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy ; break up 
the fallow ground ; for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come 
and rain righteousness upon you. 

Ye have ploughed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity. 

Be not deceived : God is not mocked ; for whatsoever a 
man soweth, that shall he also reap. 



116 ALTAR AT HOME. 

For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap cor- 
ruption ; but he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit 
reap life everlasting. 

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity. 

The wicked worketh a deceitful work : but to him that 
soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. 

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower, both minister 
bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase 
the fruits of your righteousness. 

Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which 
causeth through us thanksgiving to God. 

Morning. 

WITH the new day, we would again offer 
before the Most High God our gratitude 
and praise. By thy good Spirit are the minds and 
hearts of thy people taught, and guided, and sanc- 
tified. By thy holy Providence are every good 
word and work encouraged. And we pray that 
thy blessing may rest upon the efforts of thy chil- 
dren to promote the cause of truth and right in all 
the world. May thy wisdom fill the souls of those 
who teach. May success attend those who attempt 
the relief of sorrow and suffering. We desire to 
be in true sympathy with all who seek to build up 
thy kingdom on earth, and to join with them in 
labors and sacrifices, as we have fit opportunity. 
Strengthen the hands and establish the hearts of 



SOWING AND REAPING. ±\J 

such as anywhere bear testimony to the Gospel of 
thy Son. Bless thy servant, our pastor, and those 
who are helping his work. Bless the church and 
society with which we are connected. Build it up 
in the most holy faith. Let no discouragement 
hinder the fidelity of the members to their duty. 
Amid all changes, may we feel that the good seed 
of thy word is not sown in vain. May the fruits 
of thy salvation abound. May the young remem- 
ber thee in the morning of their days, and the aged 
be filled with thy peace, and all to whom thou 
givest strength do thy work till thy kingdom shall 
fully come. This, and all our prayers, we would 
offer in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 

EVENING. 

OGOD, our ever-present Friend and Father, 
thy providence has watched over us and 
blessed us through another day. We have been 
made glad by new gifts from thee. Thou hast 
bestowed new means of progress in knowledge and 
in purity, new opportunities of service to thee and 
to our fellow-men. We confess our sinful neglects, 
our inexcusable misimprovement of the talents 
committed to our trust. We mourn that we have 
failed to listen to so many of the angels of thy love, 
whom thou hast graciously sent to call us to works 
of truth and love. But, O Father, if we have 



118 ALTAR AT HOME. 

been moved to do anything this day, or in for- 
mer days, in accordance with thy will, we give 
unto thee the glory and the praise. 

Father, help us to realize the responsibility that 
rests upon us. Save us from sowing the seeds of 
evil in our hearts, or in the world, by our unfaith- 
fulness or our sin. Aid us, day by day, to plant 
that love and patience and purity within our own 
souls and in others' breasts, which shall bring 
forth blessed fruits, an hundred-fold. Thou wilt 
not deliver us from the just retribution for our mis- 
deeds, but thou wilt open all the treasures of thy 
grace to crown the efforts of every true and loving 
heart. 

Father, we thank thee that thou dost permit us 
to become ministers of good to other souls. Even 
such as we may do something to carry forward thy 
purposes of mercy, for thou dost accept the smallest 
service of faith and love, and bestow upon it thy 
benediction. Deliver us from the pride that buries 
any single talent in the earth, because we have not 
been endowed with greater gifts. May we not de- 
spise the lowly work which seems great in thy sight. 
May we rejoice to send one new ray of light into 
darkened homes ; to excite one new pulse of joy in 
the sorrowing breast. May we thus learn to go 
about doing good, remembering that every smallest 
ministry to the least of these his brethren is a min- 
istry to him who is our Master and Lord. 



FIDELITY IN DAILY DUTIES. 119 

O God, we can only work in faith and trust, but 
we know that thou wilt permit no seed of holy 
effort to be sown in vain. When the day of life 
shall close, O grant that we may be found to have 
been faithful to life's solemn trusts, and fitted to 
receive the benediction, " Enter into the joy of 
your Lord." Hear our prayer, for thy infinite 
mercy's sake. Amen, 



XXIX. 

FIDELITY IN DAILY DUTIES. 

All may of thee partake ; 
Nothing so small can be, 
But draws, when acted for thy sake, 
Greatness and worth from thee. 

If done beneath thy laws, 
Even servile labors shine ; 
Hallowed is toil, if this the cause, 
The meanest work divine. 

Herbert. 

A man's virtue is not to be measured by his great attempts, 
but by his common actions. — Pascal. 

He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in 
much ; and he that is 'unjust in the least, is unjust also in 
much. 

The desire of the slothful killeth him ; for his hands refuse 
to labor. 



120 ALTAR AT HOME. 

He coveteth greedily all the day long ; but the righteous 
giveth and spareth not. 

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold 
not thine hand. 

See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise ; 
redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 

And whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name 
of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by 
him. 

It is only by fidelity in little things that a true and con- 
stant love to God can be distinguished from a passing fervor of 
spirit. — Fenelon. 

It is with piety as with the mysterious ladder that was ex- 
hibited to the patriarch Jacob, the foot of which rested on the 
earth, but the summit reached the skies ; it is only by degrees 
that we can ascend, but it is by degrees that we can finally 
arrive at the highest elevation of which our nature is capa- 
ble. — St Basil 

Observed duties maintain our credit, but secret duties main- 
tain our life. — Flavel. 



Morning. 

OUR Heavenly Father, we come with the light 
of thy morning about us, and with the dawn 
of hope and aspiration within us, to praise and glo- 
rify thee, from whom are all light and strength. 
We come, O Father, trusting in thy tender mercy 
and loving-kindness that thou wilt forgive all our 
transgressions, wilt strengthen the better purposes 



FIDELITY IN DAILY DUTIES. 121 

of our hearts, and wilt shine upon our souls with 
continually brighter radiance, until thou shalt bring 
us unto the endless day in which they dwell who 
perfectly do thy will. 

We thank thee that we are permitted again to 
take our place among the great company of thy 
servants who wait, on earth and in heaven, to per- 
form thy bidding ; and we, too, would wait with 
humble, trustful hearts, looking to thee alone for 
the power to do the work which this day shall put 
into our hands. Grant, we beseech thee, that these 
hours may be marked by faithfulness in all the du- 
ties that thou layest upon us, in the spirit, not of 
fear, but of love. Teach us that there is nothing 
small and nothing great before thee, but that thou 
art as well pleased with the scanty service which 
we can offer thee in the common occupations of our 
daily lives, as with the greatest deeds of saints and 
martyrs, being satisfied if we have done what we 
could. Strengthen us against temptation, and con- 
firm us in the feeling of our constant dependence 
upon thee. Help us to overcome the tumultuous 
strife within, and the enticements from without us, 
which would distract our thoughts from thee, and 
to recognize, in everything which thou givest us to 
do, thy hand in wisdom leading us on and disciplin- 
ing us, by the small requirements and petty cares 
of this earthly life, for the grander opportunities of 
service which, in thy eternal world, shall be given 

6 



122 ALTAR AT HOME. 

to those who here have listened to the voice of 
duty and have not been disobedient to the heavenly- 
vision. 

Hear and accept our petitions, we pray thee, in 
the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, 

EVENING. 

ALMIGHTY God, we have always to thank 
thee for thy kindness, — and again we close 
the day with our grateful prayer. The events of 
each day reveal anew thy love and care for us. Do 
not let us trust in our own wisdom or our own 
strength, but teach us thy way, and make us rest 
on thy right arm. Show us what we can do each 
day, that thy kingdom may more quickly come ; and 
with thy Spirit inspire our spirits, that we may do it 
bravely and cheerfully, as thy children. May the 
devotions of this hour help to prepare us for ten 
morrow's duty, help us to stand firmly and labor 
faithfully. 

Bless us with thy watchful care as we retire to 
rest, and may our sleep be peaceful and refreshing. 
We know that thou wilt hear our prayer, because 
thou hast promised in thy Son that thou wilt give 
thy little flock the victory. We come to thee in 
his name. Amen. 



THE LOVE OF GOD. 123 

XXX. 

THE LOVE OF GOD. 

Source divine, and Life of all, 
The Fount of being's wondrous sea ! 
Thy depth tuould every heart appall, 
That saw not Love supreme in thee. 

Sterling. 

We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. 
God is love. 

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us. 

How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God ! therefore 
the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy 
wings. 

In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because 
that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we 
might live through him. 

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, 
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to 
come, 

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able 
to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus 
our Lord. 

If God be for us, who can be against us ? 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings. 

The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears 



124 ALTAR AT HOME. 

are open unto their prayers ; but the face of the Lord is against 
them that do evil. 

Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he teach sinners 
in the way. 

The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul 
that seeketh him. 

The love of men is good, whilst it lasteth ; the love of God 
is better, being everlasting. — Warwick. 



Morning. 

IN the light of this new day, thou Father of 
lights and of mercies, we rejoice to behold a 
new token of thy goodness. While day unto day 
utter eth speech, may our ears be open to hear, and 
our hearts to welcome, the glad tidings which 
heaven and earth are telling of thee. May we 
learn to see thee in all thy works, and, amid the 
bountiful gifts of thy Providence, feel more the 
kindness reaching down to us than the gift which it 
bestows. May all that is bright and beautiful 
around us speak to us of thy transcendent goodness, 
thine unchanging love. May all that is endearing 
in our friends remind us of a friendship more dear 
and sacred. Through things seen and temporal 
may we learn to behold the riches and the glory of 
thine unseen and eternal kingdom. By the daily 
consecration of ourselves to thee, by prayer, by 
devout and holy living, may we experience in our 



THE LOVE OF GOD, 125 

hearts the exceeding richness of thy grace and the 
tenderness of thy love. May we live on earth lives 
of thankfulness and praise, and having, each day, 
finished the work which thou hast given us to do, 
may we enter into the rest which remaineth for 
the people of God, through thy great mercy in 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Evening. 

WE bless thee, O God, for all thy gifts, but 
most of all for the gift of thyself. We ask 
for thine help, that we may receive all familiar 
blessings as from thy bountiful hand ; but yet more 
fervently do we pray that in them we may receive 
thee, and by them be made to live and move and 
have our being in thy love. 

May we thus take our daily bread from thee, and 
find in it the food alike of the soul and of the body, 
knowing that we are not to live by bread alone, but 
by every word from the mouth of God. On thy 
living and eternal word may we day by day be fed, 
and do thou graciously give us evermore this heav- 
enly bread. In the things that thou hast made 
may we seek and enjoy thee, the Maker. May the 
light be to us the brightness of thy glory, the air 
the breath of thy spirit, the water the fountain of 
thy truth, and the worlds the work of thy power. 

We bless thee for the gift of love, and for the 



126 ALTAR AT HOME. 

crown of this gift, the faculty of knowing and lov- 
ing thee. We rejoice that thou hast condescended 
to draw near to us, thy dependent, waiting crea- 
tures, and as the known God, the Father in heaven, 
to visit us with grace, and to ask to abide with us 
in thy comforting Spirit. Thou art more ready to 
bless us than we are to ask thy blessing, and what 
thy work and thy providence have always signi- 
fied, thy gospel fully declares, — that thou wouldest 
give thyself to us, the children of men, and make 
us the children of God. 

All glory be to thee, the Heavenly Father, for 
hhn in whom thy love dwelt and dwells in such 
unspeakable fulness, Jesus Christ, thy Son, our 
Saviour. May we love thee in him, and him in 
thee. Give us, O give us, through him and by thy 
Spirit, a blessed sense of oneness with thy family 
on earth and in heaven, that, no longer broken 
branches, we may abide in the true vine, and, no 
longer lost sheep, we may be of the one fold and 
the one Shepherd. 

Hear us in this our lowly prayer, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 



DEAL JUSTLY, AND LOVE MERCY. 127 

XXXI. 
DEAL JUSTLT, AND LOVE MERCY. 



On Faith's strong pinions soaring to the skies ; 

Yet, while conversing here with want and woe, 

Acts the good minister of Heaven below. 

The poor relieved, the widow's wrongs redressed, 

The darkened mind illumed with heavenly day, 

The sympathies, that soothe the burdened breast 

And wipe Affliction's tear away, — 

These on the friendly, generous mind 

Will draw God's choicest blessings down ; 

He '11 mercy show for mercies shown, 

And still be kindest to the kind. 

Henry Mooke. 

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judg- 
ment, and show mercy and compassion every man to his 
brother : 

And oppress not the widow nor the fatherless, the stranger 
nor the poor. 

Have we not all one father ? hath not our God created us ? 
why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother ? 

Render to all their dues. 

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; but the 
righteous showeth mercy, and giveth. 

He is ever merciful, and lendeth ; and his seed is blessed. 

Defend the poor and fatherless ; do justice to the afflicted 
and needy. 



128 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Let no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall, in 
his brother's way. 

A good man showeth favor, and lendeth : he will guide his 
affairs with discretion. 

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is 
in the power of thine hand to do it. 

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul ; but he that 
is cruel troubleth his own flesh. 

Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, 
and his chambers by wrong. 

He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord ; and 
that which he hath given will he pay him again. 

He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, 
he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. 



Morning. 

OTHOU infinite Parent, who by thy prov- 
idence dost enrich us every day with innu- 
merable blessings, we thank thee for thy goodness. 
As we remember thy mercies, may there spring up 
in our hearts the feeling of universal kindness, and 
may our lives be so pervaded with the religion of 
thy Son, that, like him, we may go about doing 
good. We would now lift up our affections in ar- 
dent prayer. Kindle within us a devout fervor of 
soul. On the wings of faith may our thoughts rise 
heavenward. But while thus we would cherish 
devout sentiments, grant that we also may go forth 



DEAL JUSTLY, AND LOVE MERCY. 129 

to the duties of this day with the love of our 
fellow-men dwelling within us. May we be kind 
and charitable in our judgments, loving mercy, 
dealing justly, and walking humbly before thee. 
Strengthen within us the desire to relieve the 
needy, to lift up the downcast and degraded, 
and to do something; to dimmish the wickedness 
and woe of the world. We pray for men in all 
conditions of outward life and inward states of 
mind. We would carry on our hearts to thee the 
memory of the slave. May the days of his bond- 
age be numbered, and cause the light of univer- 
sal liberty to be rapidly spread abroad. Hasten 
the day when thy glorious kingdom shall come 
and thy will be done on earth as in heaven. May 
we thy children walk in the footsteps of our Master 
and do all in our power to wipe away the tear of 
sorrow and soothe the heart in its anguish ; and, by 
our ready and tender sympathy, encourage the 
weak, cheer the desponding, enlighten the ignorant, 
and reform the sinful. Increase our faith in the 
power of true religion as a means of the world's 
redemption, and through the benign and healing 
influences of the Gospel may there come the reign 
of happiness, virtue, and peace. With lowly self- 
denial, may we so live every day as to help bear 
others' burdens, and give proof of our love of thee, 
whom we have not seen, by our love of our brother, 
whom we have seen ; and thus, by fidelity to the 
6* i 



130 ALTAR AT HOME. 

great law of love, have our souls created anew in 
Christ. May we in heart and life be formed in the 
Saviour's image, through whom to thee would we 
render eternal praise and thanksgiving, world with- 
out end. Amen. 

EVENING. 

ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, we ac- 
knowledge thy goodness in permitting us to 
see the light of another day, and to enter upon its 
duties with the help and comfort of thy word. 

Give to us more and more of that faith which 
works by love and overcomes the world. May we 
show that we are Christians, by the care with which 
we fulfil every sacred trust ; by meekness and gen- 
tleness and long-suffering in all our domestic rela- 
tions ; by keeping our thoughts and affections pure ; 
by sympathizing in each other's troubles, and bear- 
ing each other's burdens, — doing justly, loving 
mercy, and walking humbly with God. 

O Thou in whose hands our breath is, and whose 
are all our ways ! we do not trust in ourselves ; we 
trust in thee. So long as we continue in this world 
of difficulty and trial, take not thine holy Spirit 
from us, but lift upon us the light of thy coun- 
tenance, and give us peace ; and, at the last, receive 
us unto thyself, through thine infinite mercy in Him 
who loved us and gave himself for us. Amen. 






LIFE EVERLASTING. 131 

XXXII. 
LIFE EVERLASTING. 

Forever blessed they, 

Whose joyful feet shall stand, 
While endless ages waste away, 

Amid that glorious band. 

My soul would thither tend, 

While toilsome years are given ; 

Then let me, gracious God, ascend 

To sweet repose in heaven. 

E. Palmer. 

There is one life, — to look forward to the life above. There 
is one death, — sin ; for it is that which destroys the soul. — 
St. Gregory. 

What shall I do, that I may inherit eternal life ? 

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and 
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind ; and thou shalt love 
thy neighbor as thyself. 

Yerily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, 
or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom 
of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this 
present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. 

Write, read, chant, mourn, keep silence, pray, endure 
crosses manfully : life everlasting is worth all these conflicts, 
and greater than these. — A Kempis. 

These things have I written unto you that believe on the 
name of the Son of God ; that ye may know that ye have 
eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son 
of God. 



132 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath 
everlasting life. 

Make now friends to thyself by honoring the saints of God, 
and imitating their actions, that when thou failest in this short 
life, they may receive thee into everlasting habitations. — 
A Kempis. 

God will render to every man according to his deeds : to 
them who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for 
glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life. 

Eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before 
the world began. 

Morning. 

ETERNAL and ever-merciful God, our heav- 
enly Father, thou art the father of light and 
the source of blessedness. Day unto day uttereth 
speech of thee. Each new morning calls on us to 
praise thee and give thanks for thy goodness. We 
commit ourselves to thee, to be guided, upheld, and 
saved by thee this day. Lead us, O our Father, in 
thy way, though it be a way we have not known, 
and we will rejoice and trust in thee, assured that 
no evil will befall us while thou art our guardian 
and guide. Let no sin have dominion over us, to 
bring guilt and sorrow into our hearts. O thou 
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we 
praise thee that through him thou hast brought life 
and immortality to light, and hast begotten us again 
by his resurrection from the dead to an inheritance 
incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. 



LIFE EVERLASTING. 133 

May we have that unfeigned faith in him by which 
we shall pass from death unto life. He is our way 
and thy truth ; and by our hearty belief that thou 
didst send him into the world, may he become the 
life of our souls. Suffer us not to hold the truth 
in unrighteousness ; knowing that our Lord, who 
once died for sin, now liveth in heaven, may we die 
to sin that we may live to him and to thee. By 
patient continuance in well-doing may we seek for 
honor, glory, and immortality, and finally attain to 
everlasting life. May Christ be formed in us the 
hope of glory. May our affections be set on things 
above, and our life be hid with Christ in God. 

We rejoice, O God, in the works of thy hands. 
May we ever see thee in nature. May we also 
know thee in the testimony of our own consciences, 
so that in the knowledge of thee, and of Jesus, 
whom thou didst send, we may have eternal life. 

Help us by thy grace this day to honor thee in 
keeping thy commandments. May we not love 
thee in word alone, but in deed and in truth, and so 
may we love each other and all around us, seeking 
not our own, but each the other's good. Bless and 
keep our friends. Let thy favor be upon our 
land, and thy truth come to all nations. Forgive 
us our sins, and help us to forsake them. May we 
also forgive, as we hope to be forgiven. And unto 
Him who loved us, and gave himself for us, and 
through Him to thee, be glory, honor, and dominion 
ascribed now and evermore. Amen. 



J34 ALTAR AT HOME. 

EVENING. 

OGOD, Fountain of all life, we thank thee for 
thy good gift of the waters of life through 
another day. We bless thee that we live and move 
and have our being in thee. The world presses 
hard upon us, and we might faint and die if we 
were alone ; but we are not alone, for the Father is 
with us. Not one moment in all our life is passed 
without thee ; thou wilt never leave us. No place 
is without thee ; thou wilt never forsake us. Thou 
hast made us for life, thou hast kept us in life. 
When our last night in this world shall close about 
us, thy love will fold us to sleep, and when we 
awake in the life to come, we shall be still with 
thee, for in thy love we shall live forever. Our 
sun shall be turned into darkness, this earth shall 
pass away from our sight, the body shall return to 
the dust as it was, but the Sun that lights the sun 
shall shine forever. The hand in which the earth 
is but a speck of dust abides. Thou art the same ; 
thy years shall not fail ; and we are the sons of 
God. Not our will, but thy will made us ; not our 
will, but thine, has kept us this day. O God, our 
Father, help us to a deeper trust in the life ever- 
lasting, from the lesson of this one day. May we 
feel that this love which is now ever shall be ; this 
robe of the flesh is thy gift to thy child, and when 
it is worn out thou wilt clothe him again ; this 



DWELL THOU WITH US. 135 

work of life is the work thou hast given us to do, 
and when it is done thou wilt give us more ; this 
love, that makes all our life so glad, flows out of 
the deep fountain of God, for God is love, and we 
shall love forever. O, set these lessons deep in our 
hearts ; help us to feel how, day by day, we see 
some dim shadow of the eternal day that will break 
upon us at the last. May the Gospel of thy Son, 
the whisper of thy Spirit, unite to make our faith in 
the life to come solid and clear ; then shall we be 
glad when thou shalt call us, and enter into thy 
glory in Jesus*Christ. Amen. 



XXXIII. 
DWELL THOU WITH US. 

0, make our house Thy sanctuary ! 

Come in to us, a friendly guest, 
And in our circle ever tarry ; 

Then shall we he forever blest, 
And thou, an inmate of these walls, 
Transfigure them to royal halls. 

Rev. C. T. Brooks, from the German. 

The Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands ; 
i saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my 



136 ALTAR AT HOME. 

footstool : what house will ye build me ? saith the Lord ; or 
what is the place of my rest ? 

Ye are the temple of the living God ; as God hath said, I 
will dwell in them, and walk in them ; and I will be their 
God, and they shall be my people. 

But will God, in very deed, dwell with men upon the earth ? 
Behold heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain 
thee! 

Jesus said, If a man love me, he will keep my words : and 
my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and 
make our abode with him. 

Narrow is the mansion of my soul : enlarge thou it, that thou 
mayest enter in. It is ruinous, repair thou it ; it has that 
within which must offend thine eye ; but who shall cleanse 
it ? or to whom should I cry, save thee ? — St. Augustine. 

If ye love me, keep my commandments. 

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another 
Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. 

And this is his commandment : that we should believe on 
the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another. 

And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, 
and he in him. 

And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit 
which he hath given us. 

Morning. 

OUR Father who art in heaven, and who art 
not far from any one of us, thy children on 
earth, when we awake we are still with thee. Help 



DWELL THOU WITH US. 137 

us draw nigh unto thee in the spirit, that we may- 
feel how near thou always art unto us. Teach us 
that the heaven where thou lovest to dwell is in the 
heart and in the home of the pure and the lowly. 
Open thou our eyes that we may see this place to 
be none other but the house of God, and its lowly 
door the gate of heaven. Open our hearts by the 
gentle urgencies of thy Spirit, that thy Christ and 
all thy holy angels may come in and abide with 
us as welcome guests. Thou who hast been our 
dwelling-place in all generations, O dwell thou with 
us and within us to-day. 

Once more the light of the visible heaven, which 
declares thy handiwork, shines in through the win- 
dows of our earthly tabernacle to guide and to 
gladden our daily toil. O, let the light of thy spir- 
itual presence, as imaged in the face of Jesus 
Christ, in like manner shine in upon our souls to 
quicken our affections and to guide our thoughts to 
thee. May this new morning kindle in us a new 
desire to live as children of the day. May we walk 
and work as seeing Him who is invisible. May we 
see and share thy endless and boundless activity 
of beneficence, entering into the joy of our Lord. 
Let thy works appear unto thy servants, and thy 
glory unto their children, and let the beauty of the 
Lord our God be upon us. Guide us this day and 
all our days with thy counsel, and afterward receive 
us to glory. Amen. 



138 ALTAR AT HOME. 

EVENING. 

GOD of the evening, while its shades deepen 
around us, we come to thee. We give thee 
thanks for what the day has bestowed : for protec- 
tion, for sustenance, for the blessings that have 
crowned us ; yes, even for the trials that have been 
sent to bring us nearer to thyself. " The day is 
thine," and through the day thou hast been with 
us. rt The night also is thine " ; through night be 
near us still. Be near, not only as thou art, in 
thine infinity, present every where, but as thou art 
with thy people, looking on them with approval, 
and granting them the sweet assurance of thy love. 
Thou hast said that thy dwelling is with the lowly 
and with him of contrite heart ; thus in lowliness 
and penitence for sin, enable us to seek thee and to 
find thee near. 

Abide with us, O Lord, " for the day is far 
spent." Abide to defend our dwelling from out- 
ward evil, and to guard our hearts from every 
unworthy thought and feeling. Be thy protection 
not with us alone, but with the traveller on the 
land or on the deep, the soldier in his tent, the 
captive in his cell. Be with those in sorrow and 
those in gladness, with those in the fulness of 
strength and those drawing near to death. As thou 
sendest to the wearied children of men thy fresh- 
ening gift of sleep, send to the souls of all spiritual 



A SUSTAINING HOPE. 139 

refreshment, that good purposes may be formed or 
strengthened anew, for patient endurance or for 
active duty. 

Abide with us, for the day of life is drawing — 
how nearly we know not ! — toward its close. Be 
with us, ever that we may be prepared ; be with us 
when that close shall come ; and then may we go 
to our final rest with calmness, even as now to our 
slumber, knowing that thou art with us still. 
Grant unto us thine approving presence, not in 
time alone, but in eternity; and, awaking in the 
light of heaven, may we be ever with the Lord. 
To thee, in the name of Him who is one with thee, 
and through whom we have access to thy throne, 
be praises evermore. Amen, 



XXXIY. 

A SUSTAINING HOPE. 

Hope humbly, then ; with trembling pinions soar, 

Wait the great teacher, Death, and God adore ; 

What uture bliss, he gives not thee to know, 

Bui gives that hope to be thy blessing now. 

Pope. 

Happy is lie that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose 
hope is in the Lord his God. 

Hope is like the wing of an angel soaring up to heaven, 
and bears our prayers to the throne of God. — Taylor. 



140 ALTAR AT HOME. 

The hope of the righteous shall be gladness, but the expec- 
tation of the wicked shall perish. 

Without hope it is impossible to pray ; but hope makes our 
prayers reasonable, passionate, and religious ; for it relies on 
God's promise. — Taylor. 

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for 
the salvation of the Lord. 

Hope strengthens, nourishes, and fortifies all the virtues, it 
softens all afflictions, it weakens all temptations, and is the 
fruitful source of all good works. — St. Chrysostom. 

Faith is the substance of things hoped for ; the evidence of 
things not seen. 

Faith, if it be true, living, and justifying, cannot be separated 
from a good life ; " it overcomes the world," it " works right- 
eousness," and makes us diligently to do, and cheerfully to suf- 
fer, whatsoever God hath placed in our way to heaven. — 
Taylor. 

Why art thou cast down, O my soul ? and why art thou dis- 
quieted within me ? hope in God. 

The fear of the Lord is strong confidence ; and his children 
shall have a place of refuge. 

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all 
that hope in the Lord. 

In thee, O Lord, do I hope. 

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and 
steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail. 



O 



Morning. 

UR Father who art in heaven, thou who art 
our Creator and daily Preserver, in the morn- 



A SUSTAINING HOPE. 141 

ing will we direct our prayer unto thee, and will 
look up. We thank thee for the repose of another 
night and for the light of this day. With bodies 
refreshed by sleep, and with minds awakened anew 
to the consciousness of existence, we come to thee 
who art ever watching over us, that we may be 
taught by thy wisdom and strengthened by thy 
grace in the duties and labors before us. Our 
Heavenly Father, we know not what is before us in 
this day upon which we have entered ; but thou 
knowest, and we feel that thou hast ordered all 
things for us in mercy and in wisdom. Deepen our 
faith, we beseech thee, in thy fatherly care and in- 
terest. Enable us to feel that thou art ordering our 
ways, and that thou wilt cause all things to work 
together for good to them that love thee. O God, 
we know not what a day may bring forth, or when 
our appointed time shall come ; but we have hope in 
thee, and in that hope would we abide evermore. 
Sustained by it, we would do the work which thou 
hast given us to do in this world, and labor on unto 
the end, feeling that what thou hast not given us to 
know here we shall know hereafter. Thou hast 
assured us, O God, that if we are the obedient dis- 
ciples of the Lord Jesus Christ in this world, thou 
wilt receive us into thy bliss in the world to come, 
and give unto us crowns of righteousness. Having 
this hope, we would day by day purify ourselves, 
even as thou art pure, and with diligence and pa- 



142 ALTAR AT HOME. 

tience seek to fulfil the great end and aim of our 
being. 

Our Heavenly Father, without help from thee 
we are nothing and can do nothing. Except the 
Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build 
it. We trust in thy word, and we feel assured 
that thou wilt mercifully regard our weaknesses 
and infirmities, and wilt graciously do for us what 
we cannot do for ourselves. 

Hear us, we beseech thee, in behalf of all those 
for whom we should pray when we come before the 
throne of thy grace. May they be the accepted 
disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, and daily do thy 
will. And unto thee shall be given all the praise 
evermore. Amen. 

EVENING. 

OTHOU Infinite and Almighty God, trem- 
blingly, yet gratefully, we bow before thee in 
this our united, humble prayer. What are we, that 
we should thus approach the Supreme and Eternal 
One? And yet, how real the promise that thou 
wilt hear and welcome all that come to thee ! 
Not with any thought of our own worthiness or 
desert, but with lowly trust in thy tender and 
abounding love, we would offer our praise, while 
we devoutly rejoice before thee in confidence and 
hope. 



A SUSTAINING HOPE. 143 

Once more the shades of night have fallen 
around us, and the solemn uncertainty of all life's 
blessings is forced upon our thought. The dark- 
ness of these coming hours is only the symbol of 
the impenetrable mystery which ever encompasses 
our path. "We know not what of trial or of bless- 
ing may be in store in that vast future which lies 
before us. But we thank thee that, while we can- 
not penetrate its great uncertainty, we yet can call 
it ours through faith and hope, and that, whatever 
of doubt or trial may surround us, hope gives us 
bright anticipations of joy and of good. Above all, 
we bless thee that we can have always the expecta- 
tion of a time when all earthly trials shall be swal- 
lowed up in the glad realities of a heavenly state. 

And now, O our Father, as we commend our- 
selves without distrust to thy keeping during the 
unconsciousness of sleep, so we would resign all 
our interests and cares to thee. May our rest be 
soothed and sweetened by the thought of thy pres- 
ence and the hopes of thy divine and peculiar care. 
And unto thee, through Jesus Christ, help us to 
render, now and evermore, grateful and loving 
praise. Amen. 



144 ALTAR AT HOME. 

XXXV. 
CHRIST WITHIN US. 

In vain for thee hath Christ in Bethlehem been born , 
If he 's not born in thee, thy soul is still forlorn. 

AXGELUS SlLESIUS. 

Jesus said, If a man love me, he will keep my words ; and 
my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and 
make our abode with him. 

If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gen- 
tleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith ; prove your 
own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus 
Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates ? 

I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith ; that ye, 
being rooted and grounded in love, that ye may know the love 
of Christ that passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with 
all the fulness of God. 

Behold, I stand at the door and knock ; if any man hear 
my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup 
with him, and he with me. 

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation. 

As ye have, therefore, received Christ Jesus the Lord, so 
walk ye in him : 

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith. 



CHRIST WITHIN US. 145 



Morning. 

DEAR Father in heaven, who hast sent to 
us thy holy child Jesus to be our life, grant 
that to-day he may be life in our souls. May his 
faith in thee be in us to-day, so that as he saw thee 
near evermore, we may see thee near evermore. 
May his perfect trust in thy providential care be in 
us to-day, that we may feel that thou hast even 
numbered every hair of our heads. May his de- 
votion to thy will be in our souls, that we also may 
say, " Not our will, but thine, be done." May his 
hope of a perfect triumph of right over wrong, 
good over evil, love over selfishness, truth over 
error, be also in our souls to-day ; that we may not 
fear anything which seems defeat or disaster, con- 
fident that all things will work together for final 
and perfect good. So may his Spirit lead our 
spirits, his thoughts our thoughts, his love our love, 
and the life we live in the flesh may we live by 
faith in him, which we ask in his spirit and name. 
Amen, 

Evening. 

OUR Heavenly Father, thou knowest better 
than our own hearts know, whether we have 
employed the hours of this day to the great end for 
which thou gavest them, — so as to be drawn nearer 
to thee, to grow more spiritually-minded, to become 
7 j 



146 ALTAR AT HOME. 

more like Christ, the Son of thy dear love. As we 
resign ourselves once more into the tender protec- 
tion of thy arms, we implore thy forgiveness for 
every wasted opportunity, every misused privilege, 
which, had we been faithful, would have brought us 
closer to thee, and to Christ our Lord. 

We thank thee for every holy thought, every 
moment of communion with thee, every oppor- 
tunity of faithful and Christian service which we 
have used this day. Grant, we implore thee, that 
we may indeed be true branches in Him the living 
Vine. May his life enter into our lives, his Spirit 
be infused into our spirits, and we be hid in thee by 
the mysterious union of believers with Him, our 
Teacher, Master, Redeemer. Open our hearts to 
his instructions ; touch us so deeply with a sense of 
his wonderful love, that we may accept his word as 
the rule of our lives, and be led by his gracious 
example to an entire and confiding trust in thee. 
Thou persuadest us by all the discipline of thy 
providence, by thy voice within our hearts, by the 
strong attraction of the life of Christ, to follow him 
in that path where he has gone before us, which 
leadeth unto thee. O strengthen us against the 
doubts and fears, the temptations which we put in 
our own way, and those which the world of pleas- 
ure and absorbing care place all around us, — that 
hinder us continually from following him, and make 
us deaf to his call. And may he be so formed 



VAIN AND EVIL THOUGHTS. 147 

within us, that we may have that peace which pass- 
eth all understanding, and finally may attain to the 
rest which remaineth for thy people. We ask it in 
His name. Amen. 



XXXVI. 

VAIN AND EVIL THOUGHTS. 

Be with me, Lord, where'er I go ; 
Teach me what thou wouldst have me do ; 
Suggest whatever I think or say ; 
Direct me in thy narrow way. 

Christian Psalmist. 

The thought of foolishness is sin : and the scorner is an 
abomination to men. 

Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth 
from the heart ; and they defile a man. For out of the heart 
proceed evil thoughts. 

When a good man is afflicted, tempted, or troubled with 
evil thoughts ; then he understandeth better the great need 
he hath of God, without whom he perceiveth he can do noth- 
ing that is good. — A Kempis. 

For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than 
any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder 
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a dis- 
cerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 



148 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Repent, therefore, of thy wickedness, and pray God, if per- 
haps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 

The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, 
but the words of the pure are pleasant words. 

Charity suffereth long, and is kind ; is not easily provoked, 
thinketh no evil ; 

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. 

Think of good, that you may avoid thinking of evil. The 
mind of man cannot for one moment remain in a state of in- 
activity. — St. Ephraim. 

If thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. 

Practise to make God thy last thought at night when thou 
sleepest ; and thy first thought in the morning when thou 
awakest ; so shall thy fancy be sanctified in the night, and thy 
understanding be rectified in the day, so shall thy rest be 
peaceful and thy labors prosperous. — Quarles. 



Morning. 

EVER-LIVING God, whose existence is the 
perpetual spring of our being, and whose 
loving-kindness is the inspiration of our daily joys : 
Wilt thou impress our minds with gratitude while 
we remember thy mercies, and turn our voices to 
praise while we call upon thy name ? By the ten- 
der and wise ordering of thy providence, the night 
has brought us the delightful refreshment of sleep, 
amid social security and domestic peace; and the 
welcome radiance of the morning calls us to new 



VAIN AND EVIL THOUGHTS. 149 

activity, to fresh experiences, to a deeper acquaint- 
ance with life, and to ever-augmenting respon- 
sibilities. 

May our hearts be susceptible to every influence 
that testifies to thy holy presence in the beauty of 
the world thy hands have fashioned, — in the genial 
ministries of domestic love and noble friendships, — 
in the silent witness of a good conscience to the 
pure thoughts and good deeds that have blessed 
mankind, — and in every spiritual emotion and as- 
piration that may ennoble us, by lifting us into a 
higher realm of life. 

O Lord, our Preserver, in guarding our bodies 
from danger through the day that lies before us, 
withdraw our eyes from beholding vanity, and ex- 
clude from our minds all gross and presumptuous 
thoughts. May the words which our tongues may 
utter, and the meditations which our hearts may 
entertain, be acceptable in thy sight, and worthy 
the bodies and spirits which thou hast deigned to 
call thy temple. Here, O God, enthrone thy Holy 
Spirit, that all our purposes and desires may be 
subjected to thee ; that all our duties may be el- 
evated into privileges ; that our pleasures may be 
exalted into praises ; that our forgiven sins may 
bear the fruit of humility and grateful love ; and 
that the trials of a mortal day, borne to thee on the 
wings of prayer, may return to us in everlasting 
benedictions. We ask it through the grace and 
truth of Jesus Christ. Amen. 



150 ALTAR AT HOME. 

EVENING. 

AT the close of another day, we meet, O Fa- 
ther, to offer unto thee our evening tribute 
of thanksgiving, to ask . protection through another 
night, and to seek our rest in peaceful communion 
with thee. It is from thee that all our gifts and 
blessings proceed. Thy loving-kindness hath en- 
compassed all our paths, and thy presence of mercy 
hath guarded all our sleeping and our waking hours. 
We rest this night in the confidence that thou art 
our safeguard and our shield. 

We thank thee, Father, for the blessings which 
this day and all our days have brought to us. We 
thank thee for the power of mind and soul which 
thou hast bestowed upon us. We thank thee that 
thou hast taught us to think wisely, and to feel in 
love and at peace with thee and with one another. 
We pray thee that all wrong desires and evil 
thoughts may be banished from our souls and 
minds by the sweet and purifying influence of thy 
presence. 

Thou, O Father, knowest all the secrets of our 
hearts. Before thee our whole being lies open. 
There is not a word in our mouth, there is not a 
thought in our mind, but lo ! thou knowest it al- 
together. Thou understandest our thoughts afar 
off. Search us, we beseech thee, and know our 
hearts ; try us, and know our thoughts. See if 






VAIN AND EVIL THOUGHTS. 151 

there be any wicked way in us, and lead us in the 
way everlasting. May the words of our lips and 
the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in thy 
sight, Father, our Redeemer and our Strength. 
May the wisdom which is from above, in its purity 
and its peace, be our perpetual guide. May we be 
made wise even unto salvation. May all vanity, 
all malice, all uncharitableness, all evil-speaking, be 
put far away from us, and may we dwell with 
thee and with one another in trust and grace and 
love. Thus guide us through the whole day of our 
life, and when the night of death shall close around 
us, may we he down to sleep amid its shadows, in 
the hope of awakening in the light of an eternal 
day with thee. Bless us, Father, and all who are 
dear to us ; in thine infinite mercy keep, strengthen, 
and guard us, now and evermore, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 



152 ALTAR AT HOME. 

XXXVII. 
TRUE WISDOM. 

Be it my only wisdom here, 

To serve the Lord with filial fear 

With loving gratitude ; 

Superior sense may I display, 

By shunning every evil way, 

And walking in the good. 

Wesley's Col. 

If any lack of wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all 
men liberally, and upbraideth not ; and it shall be given him. 

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. 

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that 
getteth understanding. 

For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of 
silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 

Take fast hold of instruction ; let her not go ; keep her ; for 
she is thy life. 

Above all, the knowledge of what is good and what is evil, 
what ought to be done, and what ought not to be done in the 
several offices and relations of life, is a thing too large to be 
compassed, and too hard to be mastered, without study and 
contemplation. — Dr. South. 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom : and the 
knowledge of the holy is understanding. 

Many get no profit of their labor, because they contend for 



TRUE WISDOM. 153 

knowledge rather than for a holy life ; and the time shall 
come when it shall more avail thee to have subdued one lust 
than to have known all mysteries. — Taylor. 

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain 
deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the 
world, and not after Christ. 

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you ? 
let him show out of a good conversation his words with meek- 
ness of wisdom. 

The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, 
gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, 
without partiality and without hypocrisy. 

Discover to me, thou Searcher of hearts, whatever is 
amiss in me, whether in life or principle. — Wilson. 

That which I see not, teach Thou me ; if I have done in- 
iquity, I will do so no more. 

Morning. 

WE thank thee, O most merciful God, that 
thou hast watched over us, in our helpless- 
ness, during the night, and brought us in safety to 
the beginning of another day. With our renewed 
powers we would offer new praises to thee. Let 
our first thoughts be of thy loving-kindness and 
tender mercy. Let our first acts be those of hom- 
age, thanksgiving, and prayer to Him who gave us 
being, whose goodness never faileth, and whose 
glory is above the heavens. 

Look down upon us, we beseech thee, O Lord, in 

7* 



154 ALTAR AT HOME. 

thy great compassion, as we are entering upon an 
untried day. Let thy blessing follow us as we go 
forth to the duties which lie before us, — to the 
enjoyments or the trials which thy providence may 
have in store for us. If it be thy will, may we 
walk unharmed through all the dangers and dis- 
eases which beset our path. May we pursue our 
works with safety and success. May we give and 
receive happiness in our friendly intercourse, and 
pass our time in rest and quietness of mind. But, 
O God, grant us above all, and help us to desire 
before all things, thy best, even thy spiritual gifts. 
Give us true and heavenly wisdom, — that wisdom 
which is " first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to 
be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits." The 
wisdom which guides the soul in the way of thy 
commandments ; which guards the heart from the 
allurements of sin; which teaches humility, con- 
tentment, and gratitude ; which finds the true en- 
joyment of prosperity and the sweet uses of adver- 
sity ; which, beginning with reverence for God, 
ends in love both to God and man. 

Be this, O Father of lights, thy precious gift to 
us. Be this the great object of our desire and pur- 
suit to-day. Keep our too inconstant minds from 
being drawn aside from following after it. Forgive 
us that we have been, hitherto, so backward and 
wavering in our endeavors to acquire it. Upbraid 
us not because we have so little of it. But, O 



TRUE WISDOM. 155 

Lord, for the sake of our need and of thine own 
infinite mercy, vouchsafe, from thy fulness, to be- 
stow it upon us in answer to our prayer ; which we 
humbly present unto thee, with our thanksgivings 
and praises, in the name of thy dear Son, Jesus 
Christ our Saviour. Amen, 

Evening. 

OUR Father in heaven, the day is thine, and 
the night also is thine. Around the weary- 
world again thou hast drawn the . curtains of dark- 
ness. How gracious and constant, and yet how 
still, the mighty working of thy providence ! Fed 
by thy bounty, borne in thine arms, cherished by 
thy spirit, what more do we need, what more could 
we ask? 

If to-day thou hast seen any virtue in us, any 
love of truth and willingness to work or to suffer 
for it; any fidelity in duty, any devotedness to 
thee ; O receive our fervent thanksgiving for the 
means and opportunity of doing well. And what- 
ever thou hast seen in us to-day unworthy and sin- 
ful, O in thy mercy regard it ; and may we awake 
to see as thou seest, and judge ourselves as thou 
judgest us. We ask not so much to be freed from 
remorse as from the sin that produces it ; not so 
much to be overshadowed with peace, as to be 
quickened to righteousness, which, in the end, is 



156 ALTAR AT HOME. 

full of peace. That peace of God that passeth all 
understanding, — that peace of the Saviour, which 
the world can neither give nor take away, — O 
Father, lead us unto the way of such peace ; 
quicken us by thy Spirit, and lead us to the feet 
of Christ, that we may learn of him to live into thy 
peaceful, heavenly kingdom. 

Father of boundless goodness, let thy blessing 
rest upon all who are dear to us. O give them 
wisdom and strength. We pray for ourselves and 
for all. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive 
those who trespass against us, and lead us not into 
temptation, but deliver us from evil. 

O, ever- watchful Guardian, as the night now 
invites us to sleep and rest, may we commit our- 
selves to thee, penitent and grateful ; and may to- 
morrow find us nearer to thee than ever before in 
faith and duty. O hear us as thy children, and as 
disciples of thy Son. For thine is the kingdom, 
and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. 
Amen. 



THOU, GOD, SEEST US. 157 



XXXVIII. 
THOU, GOD, SEEST US. 

Thine all-surrounding sight surveys 

My rising and my rest ; 
My public walks, my private ways, 

And secrets of my breast. 

So let thy grace surround me still, 

And like a bulwark prove, 
To guard my soul from every ill, 

Secured by sovereign love. 

Watts. 

Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from 
the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, 
Who seeth us ? and who knoweth us ? 

Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not 
see him? saith the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? 
saith the Lord. 

The ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he 
pondereth all his goings. 

Thou hast set our iniquities before thee ; our secret sins in 
the light of thy countenance. 

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the 
evil and the good. 

Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. 

Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising, thou 
understandest my thought afar off. 



158 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art 
acquainted with all my ways. 

Whither shall I go from thy Spirit ? or whither shall I flee 
from thy presence ? 

The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole 
earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose 
heart is perfect towards him. 

There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the work- 
ers of iniquity may hide themselves. 

Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth 
them, so that they are destroyed. 

Morning. 

OGOD, we are still with thee, and we would be 
still praising thee. We cannot escape thy 
presence, and we would not escape it, but rejoice 
and be glad in it. Purify our hearts of every sinful 
passion and desire, that we may be joyful in thee, 
that thy presence may fill us with holy reverence 
and happy, childlike trust. Help us to live to-day 
as beneath thine eye, conscious that what we do or 
what we think is alike known to thee. Thus may 
our life be mingled of fear and love, making us to 
walk carefully before thee, yet with confidence and 
peace. 

We pray for all those who are dear to us by ties 
of kindred and affection. Let thy blessed prov- 
idence and love pursue and keep them. If they 



THOU, GOD, SEE ST US. 159 

are in any trouble, grant them relief and abundant 
freedom in thee. Pour out thy Spirit upon all 
men ; pity and convert the sinful and wicked ; be 
merciful and full of compassion to the unfortunate ; 
and lead all men to know thee, the only true God, 
and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. And may 
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen. 

Evening. 

OGOD, we come to thee, who encompassest all 
our ways. As the shadows of evening close 
around us, thine eye beholds us still. Even the 
night is light about us. The darkness and the light 
are both alike to thee. With reverence and awe 
we remember that thou lookest through every veil 
which conceals the secrets of our hearts from the 
world or from ourselves, and knowest every thought 
of passion or of sin. Thou seest the hidden stains 
which have not been revealed to us. O Thou, in 
whose sight the heavens are not clean, how unut- 
terably impure must our weak, straying, selfish 
hearts appear to thee ! Look upon us in thy in- 
finite pity, as well as hi thy infinite purity. We 
rejoice to know that thou not only seest every 
thought of sin, but also every thought of purity. 
Every secret struggle against temptation is open to 
thine eye ; every silent prayer is heard before thy 
throne ; and thou wilt hasten to send thy assisting 



160 ALTAR AT HOME. 

angels to strengthen these faint aspirations for light 
and life, and to kindle every spark of holier feeling 
into a constant flame of love. 

All-merciful Father, amidst our confessions of 
weakness, we give thanks that we are beneath thine 
all-seeing eye. Thou canst discern our spirits' in- 
most need. Thou wilt rebuke every frailty, and 
humble every thought of pride, and break down 
every impenitent desire, and never leave nor for- 
sake thy often-straying child. Make these thoughts 
our hope and trust. Give us the lowly confidence 
which desires to lay open every secret weakness to 
thee. Grant the love which casts out fear. Help 
us, in the spirit of our Master and Lord, always to 
realize thy immediate and guardian presence, as our 
perpetual inspiration and sure defence. Then shall 
we begin to see thee as thou seest us, and find the 
light of thy countenance cheering every path of 
life, and illuminating the valley of the shadow of 
death. Help us thus to see thee in that infinite 
mercy revealed through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 



AGAINST PRIDE. 161 

XXXIX. 

A 'G JIN ST PRIDE. 

Wherefore should man, frail child of clay, 

Who, from his cradle to the shroud, 
Lives but the insect of a day, — 

why should mortal man be proud ? 

By doubt perplexed, in error lost, 

With trembling step he seeks his way : 

How vain of wisdom's gift the boast ! 

Of reason's lamp, how faint the ray! 

Enfield. 

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before 
a fall. 

The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom ; and 
before honor is humility. 

Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, 
whose name is Holy : I dwell in the high and holy place, 
with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit. 

Humility is truth, and Pride a lie : the one glorifies God, 
the other dishonors him. Humility makes men to be like 
angels, Pride makes angels to become devils. — Taylor. 

Pride is folly, Humility is the temper of a holy spirit and 
excellent wisdom. Humility is the way to glory, Pride to 
ruin and confusion. — Taylor. 

God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 

If a man thinketh himself to be something, when he is 
nothing, he deceiveth himself. 



162 ALTAR AT HOME. 

But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he 
have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 

Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased ; and he that 
shall humble himself, shall be exalted. 

A man's pride shall bring him low ; but honor shall uphold 
the humble in spirit. 

Let us never forget that the day will come when all our 
virtues will be tried as by fire, and that this fire humility 
alone will be able to withstand. — St. Ephraim. 

Morning. 

ALMIGHTY God, who art exalted above all 
height, look down, we beseech thee, in tender 
compassion, upon us, thy weak and erring and sin- 
ning children, while in prostration of spirit we bow 
down before thee, and offer unto thee our morning 
sacrifice. We acknowledge our dependence ; we 
confess our sins ; we ask thy forgiveness and thy 
succor. Help us, O God, to feel our weakness and 
our unworthiness. Help us to know ourselves, how 
ignorant and frail and sinful we are ; how oft we 
have offended, how far short we have come of our 
duty and of thy just requirements. O help us to 
suppress all presumptuous thoughts, all vanity and 
pride, all self-seeking and all undue self-reliance; 
and let us learn the hard lesson of self-renunciation, 
so that, whatever good thing we may do, whatever 
attainments we make, we may be ever ready to say, 



AGAINST PRIDE. 163 

" Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto thy 
name, be all the glory and all the praise. 

Great and manifold have been thy acts of loving- 
kindness towards us. O, how poor and imperfect 
have been the returns we have made ! Help 
us, our Heavenly Father, to renounce all spirit- 
ual pride, and may we be clothed with humility. 
Create within us a new heart, — a heart that as- 
pires to thee, and that finds its peace in thee. 
Renew within us a right spirit, — that spirit of filial 
love which shall draw us to thee, and make obe- 
dience a willing service. 

Help us to cultivate that lowliness of mind that 
shall exclude all arrogance and boasting, and shall 
lead us to render to every man his due. Let us 
not look with envy upon those above, nor with con- 
tempt upon those below us, but honor all men as 
thy children and our brothers ; and, forgetting the 
things that are behind, and reaching forth to those 
things that are before, may we press toward the 
mark, and reach the prize of our high calling in 
Christ Jesus qur Lord. Amen. 

EVENING. 

ALMIGHTY God, who hast given the day for 
labor, the evening for meditation, and the 
night for repose, we would glorify thee for all thy 
gifts, and remember in praise the divine care that 



164 ALTAR AT HOME. 

always remembers us in mercy. For all the op- 
portunities of the past day, we desire to thank thee. 
If we have improved them by honesty and dili- 
gence, we seek our highest reward in thy approba- 
tion, confirmed by a quiet conscience. If we have 
been negligent or unfaithful, we would not avert 
the condemnation of thy just law ; but would see 
in the cloud of thy judgment the admonition of a 
righteous wisdom, and strive again, with returning 
day, for the prize of our high calling in Jesus 
Christ. 

For all the advantages we possess, and for all 
the pure pleasures we enjoy, as individuals and as 
a Christian household, may we remember the Per- 
fect and Liberal Giver. Yet forbid, O God, that 
we should esteem ourselves more highly than we 
ought, or foster a presumptuous and arrogant spirit. 
We have nothing but what thy favor and love 
have bestowed, — no grace or charm of person, no 
power of mind or eminence of station, but what 
thou hast lent us, to subserve thy holy purpose. 
Nor have we anything of which thy just judg- 
ments may not deprive us, if our spiritual good 
require that our hearts be humbled and our for- 
tune abased. Temper us, then, with a becoming 
humility of spirit, and may we never abuse the fa- 
vors with which thy lavish kindness crowns our 
days. 

And now, Father, through the solemnity of 



DILIGENT IN BUSINESS. 165 

this night, let thy good providence guard our re- 
pose, and thy Holy Spirit distil into our weary 
minds the balm of heavenly peace. And, while 
the heavens that bend over us reveal thy glory, 
may we close our eyes in conscious security, feel- 
ing that we are always with thee, — the greatest and 
best of Beings, — and that all the families of the 
earth may put their trust under the shelter of thy 
love. Amen. 



XL. 
DILIGENT IN BUSINESS. 

The works my calling doth propose, 

Let me not idly shun ; 
For he whom idleness undoes, 

Is more than twice undone I 
If my estate enlarge, I may 

Enlarge my love to thee ; 
And though I more and more decay, 

Yet let me thankful be. 

Wither. 

Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. 

Seest thou a man diligent in his business ? he shall stand 
before kings. 

Study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to 
work with your own hands, 



166 ALTAR AT HOME. 

That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, 
and that ye may have lack of nothing. 

It is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to 
enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun 
all the days of his life, which God giveth him ; for it is his 
portion. 

When we were with you, this we commanded you, that 
if any would not work, neither should he eat. 

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand ; but the 
hand of the diligent maketh rich. 

He that gathereth in summer is a wise son; but he that 
sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. 

He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a 
great waster. 

Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul 
shall suffer hunger. 

From the beginning God has made it a law to man to 
labor; not as a punishment and trouble, but as an exercise 
and instruction. — St. Chrysostom. 

Poverty and labor make more saints than wealth and idle- 
ness. — St. Chrysostom. 

Go to the ant, consider her ways and be wise : 

Which, having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her 
meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest. 

Morning. 



w 



E thank thee, O God, for the return of 
light. Renewed by sleep and rest, we find 



DILIGENT IN BUSINESS. 167 

ourselves surrounded by thy care and love. With 
uplifted hearts would we accept the great gifts 
which come to us in a day of life, — gifts of 
bounty, and thought, and love, and home, — gifts 
of faith and hope. 

Give us wisdom, we beseech thee, for the work 
before us to-day. May we give it dignity and 
sacredness by the spirit in which we do it. Now is 
the accepted time, now the day of our salvation. 
To-day it is given us to come nearer to thee and 
the blessed immortality, and the business that waits 
for us should be our preparation and discipline. O 
keep us from wrong-doing ; may we engage in no 
enterprise upon which thy blessing may not rest. 
Aid us to deal justly, to love mercy, and to walk 
humbly before thee. May the words of thy Son be 
our rule, — to do to others as we would have them 
do to us. O may the Spirit of Christ be in us, 
that like him we may be meek if injured, patient 
if tried, courageous if in the face of dangers, and 
waiting upon thy will at all times. 

May thy blessing rest on all those who go forth, 
in these morning hours, into the various paths of 
business. May they carry religion into all their 
work, — fellow-laborers with thee, may they recog- 
nize thy mighty agencies in earth, and air, and 
water, as helpers in their work. May we all con- 
sider that our strength, thought, ingenuity, are thy 
gifts, and whatever we do, may it be done for the 



168 ALTAR AT HOME. 

welfare of humanity, and for thy glory. May thy 
kingdom come, and thy will be done on earth as it 
is in heaven. 

Hear us, O Heavenly Father, in our morning 
prayer, hear us as disciples of thy Son, and thine 
be the praise, world without end. Amen. 

EVENING. 

OTHOU infinite and holy God, we devoutly 
thank thee for that providence which has 
guided and kept us through another day. May we 
remember thy mercies with gratitude, and strive to 
keep thy most holy law. As darkness falls on the 
earth, and we lay ourselves down to sleep, wilt thou 
keep us in safety. What we have done tins day 
which meets with thine approval, wilt thou bless. 
Forgive us wherein we have done wrong, or have 
omitted to do that which we ought to have done. 
We would now examine our hearts. If we have 
toiled with cheerfulness and fidelity, if we have car- 
ried a devout frame of mind into our calling, if we 
have been truthful to our fellow-men, kind and un- 
selfish in the family, may we have the smile of 
thine approval. Grant that we may know our 
thoughts, and see if there be any wicked feeling 
within us, or any wrong habit in our lives, and may 
we be led through penitence and faith into the way 
everlasting. We thank thee that thou art leading 



DILIGENT IN BUSINESS. 169 

us to a fuller knowledge of thy most perfect will. 
Thou hast appointed that man should go forth to 
labor ; if, in thy providence, this labor has been 
rewarded with an increase of worldly goods, may 
this enlarge our hearts, and prompt us to make a 
wise and faithful use of thy gracious gifts. In our 
abundance may we remember the poor and needy, 
and manifest our gratitude to thee by acts of kindly 
charity and beneficence. Even if misfortune has 
overtaken us, may we learn obedience to thy dis- 
pensations, and through the experience of adversity 
gain imperishable riches. Thou, O Lord, givest, 
and thou takest away. May we accept the con- 
dition of our lives with micomplaining thankfulness, 
and perform all our duties with diligence and fidel- 
ity, so that when life shall end, and we pass through 
the valley of the shadow of death, we may hear the 
Saviour's welcome, " Well done, good and faithful 
servant, enter thou into the joy of the Lord." All 
for which we pray as disciples of thy Son, our Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. 



170 ALTAR AT HOME. 

XLI. 

GOOD EXAMPLE. 

No act falls fruitless ; none can tell 

How vast its power may be ; 

Nor what results enfolded dwell 

Within it, silently. 

London Inquirer. 

So live with men as considering always that God sees 
thee. — Anon. 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your 
good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversa- 
tion, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 

Take heed lest by any means ye become a stumbling-block 
to them that are weak. 

If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while 
the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. 

Let us consider one another, to provoke unto love and to 
good works. 

In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works; 
in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound 
speech that cannot be denied: 

That he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, hav- 
ing no evil thing to say of you. 

Know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error 
of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a 
multitude of sins. 

y 



GOOD EXAMPLE. 171 

Be instant in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, 
exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine. 

When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his 
enemies to be at peace with him. 

The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth 
more and more unto the perfect day. 



Morning. 

BEFORE thee, the ever-merciful Father, ever 
mindful of our wants, we come to renew our 
worship this morning. By thy power is the blessed 
light of the day again brought to our eyes ; by thy 
goodness is our strength renewed; by thy mercy 
are many blessings preserved to us ; and by thy 
kind providence are the duties which now lie be- 
fore us appointed. 

And we thank thee, our Heavenly Father, not 
only for the gifts of thy bounty, by which comfort 
is multiplied in our home, but also for the duties 
which each day brings to us. "We know that thou 
hast ordained these duties that we might be blessed 
in the fulfilment of them ; and that thou hast given 
us no commandments which are grievous. 

May we, then, be grateful for our opportunities 
for bearing witness to what we believe to be true 
and right, and for our opportunities of doing 
good, in all ways, to our fellow-beings. May we 
strengthen each others' minds and hearts in every 



172 ALTAR AT HOME. 

good word and work. May no reproach be 
brought, by our lips or lives, upon our Saviour's 
cause. Make us faithful to our privileges of sym- 
pathy and fellowship with all who call upon thy 
name through Jesus Christ. Assist us always to 
receive from them, and to impart to them, some 
quickening of Christian faith, some renewing of 
patience, courage, and hope. Suffer not thy chil- 
dren's sincere and humble strivings to know and do 
thy will to be in vain ; but, through thy Spirit help- 
ing our infirmities, may we ever promote thy king- 
dom of righteousness, truth, and peace. Amen. 

EVENING. 

FATHER of mercies, it is in thy mercy that 
we come to the close of this day, and look 
back upon a day which thou hast blessed. We 
thank thee for the life which thou hast given us, for 
thy constant presence and direction, for thy love, 
binding us to each other and to thee. We trust it 
has brought us nearer thee, nearer to the heavenly 
life, as it has brought us nearer to the end of our 
lives upon the earth. We trust that we have by no 
act led any fellow-being astray ; that our example 
has been good, and not evil. For what we have 
left undone forgive us, and show us our shortcom- 
ings, that in the days to come we may repair them. 
For what the day has brought us, receive our re- 



THE WORD OF GOD. 173 

peated thanks, and help us use those gifts in thy 
service by devoting them to our brothers and sisters 
in the world. And now bless us and keep us, as 
we close our eyes in slumber, and mercifully protect 
us through the darkness of the night. We ask it 
in the name of our Lord and Saviour. Amen. 



XLII. 
THE WORD OF GOD. 

Word of the ever-living God ; 

Will of his glorious Son ! 

Without thee how could earth be trod, 

Or heaven itself be won f 

Barton. 

The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than 
any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder 
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a dis- 
cerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

There is but one book in the world that makes religion 
consist in loving God more than ourselves, and renouncing 
self for him ; all others that repeat this great truth are bor- 
rowed from this, all truth is taught in this fundamental truth. 
— F melon. 

Jesus said, My mother and my brethren are these which 
hear the word of God and do it. 

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiv- 
ing your own selves. 



174 ALTAR AT HOME. 

I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respects unto thy 
ways. 

I will delight myself in thy statutes ; I will not forget thy 
word. 

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my 
path. 

The Gospel will not be a means of salvation to him who 
reads and hears it only, but to him who reads, loves, remem- 
bers, and practises it by a lively faith. — Wilson. 

Blessed are the undefined in the way, who walk in the law 
of the Lord. 

Blessed are they who keep his testimonies, and that seek 
him with the whole heart. 

Grant me, God, rightly to understand, and constantly 
to walk in the way of thy commandments. — Wilson. 

Teach me thy statutes. Incline my heart unto thy testi- 
monies. 

Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all 
thy commandments. 

Morning. 

WE thank thee, O Lord, our Heavenly Father, 
for thy watchful care over us through an- 
other night. Thine eye, which never slumbers, 
hath guarded our unconscious hours, and we begin 
our life anew, because of the freshness of thy re- 
viving influence. Breathe upon us and through us, 
in these morning hours, and guide us through the 
day. Give unto us all things which may be need- 






THE WORD OF GOD. 175 

fal for our good. Keep away from us all things 
evil. Be our help in every temptation, our strength 
in every duty, and our consolation in every grief. 

We thank thee that thou hast taught us of thy- 
self, and thy wonderful providence, by thy works 
and by thy word. We call thee Father. We 
would be as thy children before thee. We thank 
thee for the life and teachings of Him who hath 
shown us the Father. We desire to feel his love 
upon and in our hearts, and we desire to feel our 
hearts going out to him in love. We recognize in 
his person our Master, Lord, and Saviour. We 
hear the words of heavenly wisdom that drop from 
his lips. We witness the beauty, the excellence, 
the divineness, of his life. We feel the inflowings 
of his Spirit in our souls. 

Jesus Christ hath taught us that we are to love 
thee with all our hearts, and all our minds, and all 
our souls, and all our strength. Second only to 
thyself within us, would we cherish the love of our 
Redeemer. We would call to mind the struggles 
and conflicts through which he passed, the toils 
which he bore, the pains which he endured, and the 
sacrifices which he made for us. We are healed by 
his stripes, and in his death we live. Help us, 
then, O Father, to become his true disciples and 
his faithful followers. We would sit at his feet, 
and learn of him the wisdom which is for our sal- 
vation. We would endure all grief and pain with 



176 ALTAR AT HOME. 

the trust which was his source of strength. We 
would meet all difficulty and danger with the 
courage by which he was upborne. We would lie 
down to death with the willing and submissive faith 
in thee which glorified his cross. May we thus 
live and die through him, and through him enter 
upon that holier life, and dwell in that eternal 
house, whose mansions he hath prepared for us. 
And unto thee, his Father and our Father, be praise 
and thanksgiving forevermore. Amen. 

EVENING. 

OTHOU infinite, ever-present Spirit, Source 
of all wisdom and intelligence, whose inspira- 
tion giveth understanding, who enlightenest every 
man that cometh into the world ! we thank thee for 
all our powers and capacities, and for all the gifts 
thou hast bestowed upon thy rational offspring. 
We thank thee for all the revelations thou hast 
made of thyself in the past ages, and for such as 
thou art making to us continually. The heavens 
declare thy glory. Day unto day and night unto 
night bear witness to thy eternal power and god- 
head. In the light of reason and in the power 
of conscience, we would gratefully recognize thy 
Spirit, teaching, warning, and guiding us, and 
leading us to thee. 

But above all do we thank thee for the written 



THE WORD OF GOD. 177 

Word, — the word spoken by prophets, and seers, 
and holy men of old, that has come down to us 
through the ages, speaking to us as it spake to the 
fathers, shedding light upon the nations. Espe- 
cially do we thank thee for the Word manifest in 
the flesh, — for the gift of thy dear Son, and the 
redemption of the world, purchased by his blood. 
At his feet we would reverently sit and learn of 
him. As he spake with a divine authority, may we 
receive with humble and teachable minds the truth 
to which he bore witness, and may the truth make 
us free indeed. Let it not be our condemnation, 
that we have slighted his message, or withheld from 
him the honor due to his name. And following 
him, who is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, 
may we find a true peace, and finally enter into 
that rest that remaineth for the people of God. 
Amen. 



8* 



178 ALTAR AT HOME. 



XLIII. 
THE END OF LIFE. 

Lord, what is life? — if spent with thee, 

In humble praise and prayer, 
How long or short its date may be, 

We feel no anxious care; 

Though life depart, our joys shall last 

When time and all its joys are past. 

J. Taylor. 

The more we sink into the infirmities of age, the nearer we 
are to immortal youth. — Collier. 

The present time is but the infancy of life; its maturity, 
its perfection, is not in this world. — St. Gregory. 

Lord make me to know mine end, and the measure of my 
days, what it is ; that I may know how frail I am. 

The wages of sin is death ; but the gift of God is eternal 
life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

There is no death for those who die in Christ, there is only 
sleep. Can they dread the arrival of that which forever sets 
them free from sin, and all its cruel snares ? — St. Ephraim. 

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle 
were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made 
with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of 
Christ ; that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving 
together for the faith of the gospel. 

When the fruit is ripe, it falls off the tree easily. So when 



THE END OF LIFE. 179 

a Christian's heart is truly weaned from the world, he is pre- 
pared for death. — Anon. 

They that spend their days in faith and prayer, shall end 
their days in peace and comfort. — J. Mason. 

For godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise 
of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 



Morning. 

EVER-LIVING and ever-present God, our 
Heavenly Father, we thank thee for the life 
and immortality brought to light by Jesus Christ our 
Lord. We thank thee that, though he was made 
subject unto death, as we are, it was witnessed, by 
his resurrection, that over him death had no power. 
And since, in thine all-wise providence, it was or- 
dained that our human life should be always subject 
to uncertainty, and that to none shall this world be 
a final home, may we ever look at the things which 
are unseen and eternal in the heavens. We would 
not judge for ourselves, or for those dearest to us, 
concerning the time of continuance here. In thy 
hand are all souls. Whenever, to us or to our 
friends, the last of earth shall come, may we be 
found doing thy work and obedient to thy will. 
Take away from our hearts, O Father, everything 
that doth separate us from thee. May we be thine 
wholly. May our earthly affections and friendships 
be so sanctified by Christian faith, that they may 



180 ALTAR AT HOME. 

continue, uninterrupted by death, abiding forever- 
more in heaven. May the things of the unseen 
future always be to us as present realities. While 
we remain on earth, may we grow in the love of 
thyself, and of all the holy things which we hope to 
love forever. And finally, of thy great mercy, wilt 
thou, in thine own time, call us to thyself; which 
we ask in the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

EVENING. 

GRANT, most merciful Father, that thy gra- 
cious benediction may rest upon us now at the 
close of this day. We thank thee for the comforts, 
the privileges, and the duties which it has offered to 
us. Forgive us, if we have failed to use them as 
we ought. And help us to be more diligent in all 
time to come, that every setting sun may awaken in 
us a new sense of thy favor, and bear witness to 
our growth in grace, and in the knowledge of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, and that every day, in its fin- 
ished labors, may prepare us for the night in which 
no man can work. Open to us wider and truer 
views of thyself. May we attain to a more satis- 
fying and heavenly wisdom. May we live in closer 
and more endearing intimacy with thee. May our 
affections be refined and ripened, day by day, for 
the kingdom of heaven. May every new joy or 
sorrow, every new event or experience, so draw us 



THE END OF LIFE. 181 

to thee, and so fulfil for us the great and holy ends 
of life, that, day by day, we may be lifted up into 
higher realms of thought, that we may love thee 
with a more perfect love, that we may be trans- 
formed more and more into the image of our Lord, 
and that when earthly interests and friends pass 
from us, heavenly hopes, affections, and companion- 
ships may gain new power over us, and make it 
easy for us to leave all that we possess here, and 
pass on, with thy peace in our hearts, from the 
things which are seen and temporal to the things 
which are unseen and eternal. So may the closing 
days of life, enriched by gracious memories and 
immortal hopes, be serene and holy. And at last, 
through thine infinite mercy, may we be numbered 
with those of whom thou hast said, " Blessed are 
the dead which die in the Lord ; for they rest from 
their labors and their works do follow them." 
Even so, most holy and merciful Father, through 
thy great mercy in Him who gave himself for us, 
and died that we might live. Amen, 



182 ALTAR AT HOME. 

XLIV. 
DAILY FAULTS. 

The cheapest sins most dearly punished are. 
Because to shun them also is so cheap ; 

For we have wit to mark them, and to spare. 
crumble not away thy soul's fair heap I 



Herbert. 



Small offences become great in our eyes, as the light of 
God increases within us. — Fenelon. 

We must condemn our faults, lament them, repent of them, 
without seeking any palliation or excuse, viewing ourselves 
as in the presence of God. — Fenelon. 

Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant 
also from presumptuous sins. 

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for anoth- 
er, that ye may be healed. 

Now, therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider your 
ways. 

For I know your manifold transgressions and your sins. 
Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live. 

Have mercy upon me, O Lord ; for I am weak : O Lord, 
heal me. 

It is at its source that evil must be stopped ; even though 
it may not arrive immediately at its height, it must not on 
that account be neglected. It will grow during your sleep ; 
it is only a germ, but if you do not extirpate it, it will bring 
forth the fruits of death. — St. John Chrysostom. 



DAILY FAULTS. 183 

Beware how you regard as trifling, faults which appear 
of but little consequence. An accumulation of small faults 
makes a very large one; grains of sand, gathered together 
one upon another, form the banks on which the vessel strikes. 

— St. Augustine. 

Little sins do greatly deface the image of God in the soul. 

— Hopkins. 

Morning. 

WE would acknowledge, O God, with grat- 
itude, thine unmeasured and immeasurable 
love, which daily renews our life, and daily gives us 
the means to gain wisdom and virtue. Help us to 
show our gratitude by consecrating ourselves to thy 
service, — to thy service, which alone is perfect 
freedom, in which alone is real life. Help us, O 
Father, this day, to make the word of Jesus our 
guide and standard ; help us so to live that his word 
may not condemn us in the hour of judgment. "We 
confess that his yoke is easy and his burden light ; 
and that we are most unreasonable in our disobe- 
dience, doing wrong on slight temptation ; whilst 
thou hast given us, in his precious promises, and 
equally precious warnings, the strongest motives to 
resist the tempter. But he bade us ask for the gifts 
of the Holy Spirit, and we therefore pray thee for 
its gracious influences. We know that it will add 
to our guilt if we sin against thy good Spirit. But 
may the very thought that thou art with us and 



184 ALTAR AT HOME. 

helping us be our strength in duty and our defence 
against temptation. Let us not deceive ourselves 
with the vain hope that our sins can be deemed 
small because done upon small temptation, or par- 
donable because we constantly repeat them. Bring 
to our remembrance, according to our Lord's prom- 
ise, his words in all their awful strictness, binding 
us to govern every word and every thought ; and 
also in all their glorious riches of mercy, promising 
forgiveness always to the penitent and obedient 
spirit ; and may his word become in us the fountain 
of everlasting life. We thank thee that thou hast 
through him offered us eternal life and blessedness ; 
suffer us not, O gracious God, to waste our daily 
opportunities for gaining the crown of life ; suffer 
us not, by what we may deem little sins, to ex- 
change our heavenly inheritance for a heritage of 
everlasting shame. 

And these blessings of thy grace we would ask 
not only for ourselves, but for all who are dear to 
us ; for our neighbors also, and for all mankind. 
Give thy word, O God, this day success in every 
land. Establish righteousness upon the earth, and 
cast wickedness out of her high places. Confound 
the counsels of the ungodly, and bring them to 
naught, but let thy church be sanctified, and be 
extended until the world is filled with thy glory. 
Amen. 







DAILY FAULTS. 185 

Evening. 

GOD, thou Searcher of hearts, we mourn 
that our faults are so stubborn and abiding, 
and that, often as we discover and lament them and 
strive against them, they do still so mightily return 
upon us. Let us make honest confession of this 
our frailty, and be willing to appear at thy mercy- 
seat just as we are, without pretence or reserve. 
Thou canst know us, and yet pity, forgive, and 
save. 

Help us, O Father, to study more deeply and 
humbly the springs of our perversity, that we may 
know our own frailties so wisely as to trace them to 
their source, and find their cure. Save us, All- 
Merciful, from despairing over our own sins, and 
graciously give us comforting views of our own 
gifts and thy graces, that we may be encouraged 
to overcome the evil that is within us with thine 
abounding good. Save us from all such desponding 
views of ourselves as tend to quench the spirit of 
hope, and enable us in the hour of darkness and 
temptation to cling to thy mercy-seat, and to claim 
the comforts of thy love. 

Help us, O God, to watch and pray that we may 
not enter into temptation. Help us to resist the 
least beginning of evil, and so to set a guard upon 
our eyes and lips and walk, as to keep us from 
every occasion of sin and open every pathway of 
rectitude. 



186 ALTAR AT HOME. 

And O, blessed God, Giver of all good, Com- 
forter in all trouble, Renewer of souls, in thv 
loving-kindness open unto us the fountains of hea\- 
enly wisdom and power, that we may repel all evil 
spirits and tempers by the angels of grace, and the 
life that is born of thy Holy Spirit may overcome 
the life of sin and death. 

All glory be to thee for thy long-suffering mercy, 
thy forbearance with our miserable frailties, and 
make us strong and holy by a righteousness better 
than our own, even through thy beloved Son, Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 



XLV. 
PURE RELIGION AND UNDEFILED. 

The uplifted eye and bended knee 

Are but vain homage, Lord, to thee; 

In vain our lips thy praise prolong, 

The heart a stranger to the song. 

Scott. 

If any man seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, 
but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is 
this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and 
to keep himself unspotted from the world. 

Religion was not intended to minister to fame and reputa- 



PURE RELIGION AND UNDEFILED. 187 

tlon, but to pardon of sins, to the pleasure of God, and the 
salvation of souls. — Taylor. 

The Lord knoweth them that are his. Let every one that 
nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 

Virtue does not consist in avoiding evil, through fear of 
chastisement, like a slave; 

Nor in doing good solely with a view to recompense, like 
a merchant carrying on his traffic; 

But to do it without even thinking of the rewards promised 
to us for it in another life ; without fearing anything but 
estrangement from God; without desiring anything but the 
sole good of knowing Him, and being united to Him, in his 
love. — St. Gregory of Nyssa. 

Vice stings us even in our pleasures, but virtue consoles us 
even in our pains. — Colton. 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteous- 
ness; for they shall be filled. 

For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall 
exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall 
in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in 
heaven is perfect. 

Morning. 

OTHOU who art the Giver of life, and of 
everything which makes life a blessing ! be- 
fore entering on our daily cares and duties, we 
would again look up for that light and help from 
above which we so much need. 



188 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Confirm and strengthen every good purpose of 
our souls. May we remember that to obey the 
gospel is the best way to possess it ; that it is not 
the bended knee, but the pure thought, the upright 
intention, the large and generous heart, the un- 
spotted life, which finds favor with thee. To be 
followers of Him who is set forth as our Example 
and Lord, we must walk reverently and patiently in 
his steps, making it our meat to do the will of our 
Heavenly Father, and to finish his work. 

O God, if amidst our domestic anxieties, or in 
the excitements and perplexities of business, we 
should at any time this day forget thee, we beseech 
thee to have pity on us, to reclaim us to a sense of 
thy presence, and lead us in the way of eternal life: 
for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the 
glory, forever. Amen. 

Evening. 

OGOD, thy goodness is new every morning, 
and fresh every evening. All creatures wait 
on thee, and thou givest them their meat in due 
season. We have gone forth to-day under thy care 
and providence, and now we look to thee for that 
rest which our bodies need, and for thy gracious 
benediction upon our hearts. We thank thee for 
thy care through the day ; that we have been per- 
mitted to engage in our accustomed duties ; that we 



PURE RELIGION AND UNDEFILED. 189 

have found activity, satisfaction, and happiness in 
them. Teach us, O God, how our daily labors may 
be made the school of our souls, — a discipline of 
patience, truth, and purity. May we remember 
that the temptations of life are in our own hearts, 
and not in any of the things of this world that God 
hath made. Thou canst not be tempted, neither 
temptest thou any man. Purify our hearts by thy 
blessed Spirit, that we may serve thee truly in mak- 
ing all our duties a spiritual service unto thee. 
Save us from the mistake of setting a part of our 
duty for the whole of it. Thou requirest ot us, not 
only to do good, but to walk reverently before God. 
Help us to keep this holy equity of soul, that our 
earthly life may be so blended with heavenly tem- 
per, that all things may have a moral and spiritual 
intent to our patient, believing hearts. May we 
write thy whole law upon our hearts, and may it 
have its blessed success in our daily living. Help 
us to be just, merciful, and pure. May we not 
incline to one of these, and omit the others, but 
may we remember that pure and undenled religion 
before God is to keep them all. May these rev- 
erent and humble thoughts sink deep into our 
hearts, and when the morning light shall come, 
may they appear in courageous, devout, and godly 
living. Amen. 



190 ALTAR AT HOME. 

XLVI. 
AGAINST TVORLDLT-MINDEDNESS. 

Instruct thou me, God ! 

And give me grace to heed 

With what vain things ourselves we load, 

And what we rather need. 

Wither. 

Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world ; 
if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in 
him. 

Give me, O God, the eyes of faith, that I may see the 
world just as it is ; — the vanity of its promises, the folly of 
its pleasures, the unprofitableness of its rewards, the multi- 
tude of its snares, and the dangers of its temptations. — 
Wilson. 

Set your affections on things above, not on things on the 
earth. 

What terror, what affliction, can equal that of a Christian, 
who has never thought of weaning his heart from the world 
till he comes to die. — Wilson. 

Although thou shouldest possess all created good, yet 
couldest thou not be happy thereby nor blessed; but in God, 
who created all things, consisteth thy whole blessedness and 
felicity. — A Kempis. 

Learn so to look upon the honors, the pomp, and great- 
ness of the world, as to look through them. — South. 

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. 



AGAINST WORLDLY-MINDEDNESS. 191 

Surely every man walketh in a vain show ; surely they are 
disquieted in vain ; he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not 
who shall gather them. 

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver ; nor 
he that loveth abundance with increase. 

Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither 
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break 
through nor steal. 

For where your treasure is there will your heart be also. 







Morning. 

UR Father in Heaven, we thank thee for the 
return of this morning, and for the renewal of 
our daily blessings. We love to feel that we are 
always surrounded by thee, and that the blessings 
of each day are the gifts of thy providence. We 
love to feel that thou art coming to us in the joy 
and freshness of the morning, in the serenity and 
peace of the evening, in the love of our loved ones, 
in the happiness of our home, in the discipline of 
daily experience, and in all things which make us 
glad, and strong, and heavenly-minded. And now, 
before entering upon the labors and trials of this 
day, we meet together that we may think how real 
and earnest life should be ; how innocently and 
actively we should enter into it, and how much we 
need thy guidance, even when we cannot think of 
thee. O Lord, how often have we felt that we 



192 ALTAR AT HOME. 

would be more obedient to all thy commands ! 
How often have we said within ourselves, " This 
day we will not sin ; we will be kind, and just, and 
patient, and affectionate all day, and He down at 
night without a regretful memory ! " But alas ! as 
the excitements of duty or pleasure come upon us, 
we grow anxious and restless, or forgetful and friv- 
olous, and find at the close of the day that we are 
careful and troubled about many things, and that 
we have not yet found that " good part " which can- 
not thus be taken away from us. Our Heavenly 
Father, we now come to thee with no confidence in 
our own strength, and pray that thou wilt help us. 
Let thy grace be sufficient for us. Come to us 
many times this day, in holy thought and reverent 
feeling, and thus keep us near thee, even in our 
forgetfulness. May all that is beautiful remind us 
of thee, the infinite Beauty. May all that is lovely 
remind us of thee, the One altogether lovely. 
May all that is true lead us to thee, the Source of 
all truth. O, send us not from thy presence un- 
blessed ; but breathe thy loving Spirit upon us all 
before we take up the burden of our daily duty, 
that we may go on our way rejoicing, and the 
words of our mouths and the meditations of our 
hearts may be acceptable in thy sight, Lord, 
our Strength and our Redeemer. Amen. 



AGAINST WORLDLY-MINDEDNESS. 193 

Evening. 

FATHER, our minds are unquiet because they 
are full of worldly thoughts and fears. Our 
worldly thoughts drive out the thought of thee and 
of thy Son, — drive out peace and contentment, — 
and we cannot be at rest with thee or in ourselves 
till these are gone. 

Therefore, O Father, we pray thee to take away 
these thoughts out of our hearts, — these desolate 
thoughts, which refuse consolation, which seek 
death instead of life, sin instead of goodness, and 
lies instead of truth. 

O most pitiful One, destroy in us the insatiable 
desire for pleasure, the burning love of wealth, — 
destroy this thirst, never satisfied, which brings 
affliction in the day and fear in the night ; which 
makes us poorer, the richer we become ; which 
rises in the morning for gain, and dreams at night 
of gold. 

Destroy, O God, this love of outward things for 
themselves ; let us love them only as coming 'from 
thee, and as giving us the means of helping others. 
May thy gifts be for others' good, and all as trusts 
for which we are to account. May we not trust in 
them, but in thee, and use them as not abusing 
them always. Amen. 



194 ALTAR AT HOME. 

XLVII. 
LOVE TOWARDS GOD. 

My soul, inspired with sacred love, 

God's holy name forever bless ; 
Of all his favors mindful prove, 

And still thy grateful thanks express. 

Tate and Beady. 

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and 
with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 

And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. 

To love God is to make his will ours ; it is to obey faithfully 
his laws; it is to abhor sin. — Fenelon. 

The true love of God regulates and inspires all our attach- 
ments. We never love our neighbor so truly as when our 
love for him is prompted by the love of God. — Fenelon. 

God, reign in our hearts ; let the flame of thy holy love 
extinguish all other. — Fenelon. 

1 will love thee, O Lord, my strength. 

Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall 
offend them. 

The Lord preserveth all them that love him. 

Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace : thereby 
good shall come unto thee. 

God keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him 
and observe his commandments. 

There is no fear in love ; but perfect love casteth out all 
fear. 



LOVE TOWARDS GOD. 195 

See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and 
death and evil ; 

In that I have commanded thee this day to love the Lord 
your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his command- 
ments and his statutes and his judgments. 

Morning. 

OUR Father, who art in heaven, thy children 
praise thee for the sleep of the night, and its 
rest and blessing, and for the light and beauty of 
the morning. Be pleased to come home to us 
through this day, that we may spend it as those 
should who live and move and have their being in 
then God. Renew within us our love and rev- 
erence for thee. Remind us often of thy presence, 
that we may often be grateful for thy love. When- 
ever we are afraid, give us courage ; whenever we 
are weary, give us strength ; whenever we are cast 
down, give us hope ; and show us in all things how 
to do the work that thou shalt give into our hands. 
And so when we are glad this day, make us more 
glad because thou art with us, and in all our pleas- 
ures let us thank thee, the Giver. We offer all 
our prayers in our dear Master's name. Amen. 

EVENING. 

EVER-PRESENT Friend, we bow before thee 
in lowly thanksgiving and grateful thought 



196 ALTAR AT HOME. 

this evening, remembering and feeling all thy love. 
For all thy gifts this day we thank thee ; for the 
life of our bodies, and the undying life of our souls, 
which thou art renewing ; for bodily health and 
strength, and for mental and spiritual strength ; for 
all our powers of feeling, thought, and action. 
Again we thank thee for the surroundings of home, 
neighborhood, citizenship ; for the relations of affec- 
tion, of labor, or friendship. Each day, as it comes 
to us, is a rich gift, full of precious presents, — full 
of opportunities by which we can learn more, do 
more, and love more. May all lead us to love thee, 
— the Fountain of every good and every precious 
and perfect gift. Feeling that all blessings are de- 
scending from above into our hearts and homes, 
may our grateful love ascend from the altar of our 
home and heart to thee. We can give thee nothing 
but our love, — may we give thee this, at least, O 
our best and dearest Friend. We love thee, be- 
cause thou hast first loved us ; we trust in thee, 
because thy hand has always led, and is leading us, 
safely onward and upward. We rise toward thee 
on the pinions of aspiration and reverence. We 
submit to thy will as to that which is always wise, 
right, and good. So may we, this evening, all rest 
in the quiet sense of thy perfect protection ; which 
we ask in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen. 



EVIL AND IDLE SPEAKING. 197 

XLVIII. 
EVIL AND IDLE SPEAKING. 

Words are mighty, words are living: 
Serpents with their venomous stings, 

Or bright angels, crowding round us, 
With heaven's light upon their wings ! 

Every word has its own spirit, 
True or false, that never dies; 

Every word man's lips have uttered 

Echoes in God's skies. 

A. A. Procter. 

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, 
but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may 
minister grace unto the hearers. 

May I never hear with pleasure, nor ever repeat, such 
things as dishonor God or injure my neighbor. — Wilson. 

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door 
of my lips. 

Speak not evil one of another. 

A froward man soweth strife ; and a whisperer separateth 
chief friends. 

Lay not to my charge what, by an angry spirit, by vain 
and idle words, by foolish jesting, I have committed against 
thee. — Wilson. 

Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me : and to him that order- 
eth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God. 



198 ALTAR AT HOME. 

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his 
tongue talketh of judgment. 

Every beam of reason and ray of knowledge checks the 
dissolutions of the tongue. — Taylor. 

By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou 
shalt be condemned. 

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking 
guile. 

Preserve me, O God, from a vain conversation. Give me 
grace never to be ashamed or afraid to speak to thee, or of 
thy law. — Wilson. 

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, 
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. • 

Shun profane and vain babblings; for they will increase 
unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a 
canker. 

Morning. 

OUR Father which art in heaven, thou hast set 
before us again a fresh, new day. The sun 
rises, the land is full of thy light, and the earth is 
vocal with thy praises. Birds and beasts, winds 
and waters, through all ages have lifted up the 
everlasting song to Him that made them. But far 
above all the lowest whisper sounds to heaven out 
of the heart of every man thy child. In the awful 
power of human speech, faint and broken though it 
be, thou hast folded more than in all the sounds of 



EVIL AND IDLE SPEAKING. 199 

wind and sea. Father, we shall go out into the 
world to-day bearing this great gift of the word, 
the crown and glory of our life. O help us to 
weigh its mighty worth, and to hold it for the ho- 
liest uses. May the word we utter this day be a 
pure transcript of the truth as we know the truth, 
whether it bring us loss or gain, sorrow or joy. 
Fill us with a great sense and conviction that the 
words we speak this day will live to bring their own 
harvest of honor or shame, to set the seal of Christ 
on our forehead in the last day, or to brand us with 
the mark of the beast. Lord, we are in the world, 
— keep us, we beseech thee ; hold us fast in a true, 
sweet temper to all men, in a strong, clear sense of 
our real duty ; save us from harsh words, from 
petty words, from unfair and from foolish words, 
and may we be so full of thy good spirit, so open 
and free, that some man or woman, sad and weary 
from the burdens and sorrows of life, may gather 
new power out of some word of cheer that may 
fall from our lips, and be able to cry, " Did not our 
hearts burn within us as he talked to us by the 
way ? " This in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Evening. 

WE pray, Heavenly Parent, for wisdom to 
form our characters after the pattern of our 
Master, and to guide our lives according to the 



200 ALTAR AT HOME. 

lines of thy law. We pray to thee for help to 
order our thoughts in accordance with truth, and to 
frame our speech to issues of purity and good. 
May no word of falsehood or hatred drop from our 
tongues, but abundant words of wisdom and kind- 
ness, sound admonition and blessed encouragement. 
Make us slow to blame, quick to praise, even as 
we would have others be to us. Lead us also to 
cultivate the listening ear and the improving heart, 
that no words of usefulness from our fellow-men, 
or from thy providence, may pass us unheeded. 
Speak unto us ever, O God, the counsels we need, 
and give us the will to obey. We would remember 
that we must give an account of every idle word, 
and be inspired by the thought to live with a dis- 
creet oversight of ourselves, purifying the heart, 
curbing the tongue, aiming at thine approval here 
and thine acceptance hereafter. Amen. 



REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS. 201 

XLIX. 
REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS. 

Times without number have I prayed, 

" This only once forgive," 
Relapsing when thy hand was stayed, 

And suffered me to live. 

Yet now' the kingdom of thy peace, 

Lord, to my heart restore ; 

Forgive my vain repentances, 

And bid me sin no more. 

Cowpek. 

If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath com- 
mitted, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful 
and right, he shall surety live. 

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving- 
kindness : according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies 
blot out my transgressions. 

Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me 
from my sin. 

Turn us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned ; renew 
our days as of old. 

Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving- 
kindnesses ; for they have been ever of old. 

Repentance begins in the humiliation of the heart, and 
ends in the reformation of the life. — Mason. 

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man 
9# 



202 ALTAR AT HOME. 

his thoughts ; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will 
have mercy upon him ; and to our God, for he will abundantly 
pardon. 

As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the 
death of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn from his way 
and live. 

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. 

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; 
and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 

Bitter in their bud, fruits gain sweetness as they advance 
to their maturity ; so it is with the exercises of penitence, — 
they begin by being bitter, but they end by growing sweet. — 
St. Ephraim. 

Though your sins be as scarlet, saith the Lord, they shall 
be white as snow ; though they be red like crimson, they shall 
be as wool. 

Repentance is the key that unlocks the gate wherein sin 
keeps man a prisoner. — Feliham. 

Morning. 

FATHER and Friend, thou who art all holy 
and pure, burdened with a sense of sin and a 
weight of transgression, weighed down by a heavy 
heart, all-conscious of its evil, we come to thee. 
We come, though we are sinners, — yes, we come 
because we are sinners. There is no better reason, 
thou hast taught us in Christ, for coming to thee, 
than we have in our sin. If we were pure and 
righteous, we should not need thy pardoning love ; 






REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS. 203 

but because we are sinful, we need it ; and because 
thou knowest that we need it, thou art sending it. 
O Thou, who art in Christ reconciling sinners to 
thyself, reconcile us to thyself. Change this death 
into life ; let the burden drop from us ; lift us out 
of this mire and deep water, in which we can nei- 
ther stand nor go, — lift us, and put our feet upon 
the rock which shall never be moved. Let thy for- 
giveness teach us to love ; because thou forgivest 
much, may we love much, in return. Looking 
behind us, we see our lives imperfect, our souls 
stained, our best works poor, our plainest duties 
unfulfilled. How much time have we wasted, how 
many opportunities have we lost. In thought and 
affection, in word and deed, against each other and 
against thee, how much have we done wrong, and 
omitted to do of right. Looking around us, we see 
so much that we ought to do, and are doing so 
little, so many who need, and we so poor and neg- 
ligent to give. Looking within us, how little we 
find of faith, love, and peace. Dark, stormy, and 
wild are our thoughts and feelings, too often, — how 
seldom filled with the sense of thy mercies and love. 
Looking before us, what can we hope ? We can 
hope nothing away from thee, or without thee. In 
thee alone, God of our life, is our hope. In thee 
alone, through thy Son our Saviour. In thee 
alone, through the power of redemption and par- 
don in him. In thee, in thee, Infinite Love, abyss 



204 ALTAR AT HOME. 

of mercy, ever-flowing Fountain, inexhaustible in 
grace, — in thee we will trust, hope, and have rest. 
Help us to trust and be forgiven, to trust and be 
saved, to trust now and forever. Amen. 

EVENING. 

FATHER of an infinite majesty ! Father of 
mercies unceasing and unalterable ! Laden 
with another day's experience of thy goodness, we 
gather ourselves around thy mercy-seat. As this 
lower world sinks into the shadow, and the upper 
world of light unfolds itself, and we see the hand of 
power and wisdom revealed in the wonders above 
us, and feel the hand of a tender providence draw- 
ing the curtain of the night around us, and laid 
upon our heads in benediction, O our holy Father, 
the sense of thy greatness and of thy goodness fills 
our souls at once with gratitude and with sorrow. 
We feel how poorly we have prized and used the 
opportunities of good which thou hast this day lent 
us, how often we have sent back thine angels and 
grieved away thy Holy Spirit, how often we have 
suffered the vanities of this world to hide from us 
the beauty of holiness, and the vexations of life to 
drown the voice of wisdom in our hearts. 

But, O long-suffering and tenderly faithful Par- 
ent, we feel in the hush of this evening hour the 
voice of Jesus whispering of One who is not will- 



INWARD PEACE. 205 

ing that any child of his should perish. By thy 
restraining grace, not yet has the false light of evil 
passion nor the dismal shadow of unbelief quite hid 
from us the glories of thy kingdom. O may thy 
goodness lead us to repentance. Breathe thy peace 
into our hearts. Gather us under the shadow of 
thy everlasting wings, and may this eventide be 
light round about us, and grant us a sweet foretaste 
of that rest which remaineth for the people of God. 
Amen. 



L. 

INWARD PEACE. 

We ash for peace, Lord! 

Thy children ask thy peace ; 
Not what the world calls rest, 

That toil and care should cease. 

We ash thy peace, Lord! 

Through storm, and fear, and strife, 
To light and guide us on 

Through a long struggling life. 

A. A. Procter. 

O, how great peace and quietness should he possess, that 
would cut off all vain anxiety, and think only upon divine 
things, and such as are profitable for his soul, and would place 
all his confidence in God. — A Kempis. 



206 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end 
of that man is peace. 

Peace does not dwell in outward things, but within the 
soul. We may preserve it in the midst of the bitterest pain, 
if our will remain firm and submissive. 

Peace in this life springs from acquiescence even in disagree- 
able things, not in an exemption from suffering. — F melon. 

Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing 
shall offend them. 

Put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness, and let 
the peace of God rule in your hearts. 

Resign every forbidden joy; restrain every wish that is not 
referred to His will; banish all eager desires, all anxiety. 
Desire only the will of God; seek him alone, and you will 
find peace ; you shall enjoy it in spite of the» world. — Fenelon. 

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall 
keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

The work of righteousness shall be peace ; and the effect 
of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. 

There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. 

The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that 
make peace. 

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed 
on thee ; because he trusteth in thee. 

When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble ? 

Morning. 

DEAR Father in Heaven ! Thy strong and 
gentle hand hath led us during another of thy 
days, and our hearts are drawn to thee in thankful 



INWARD PEACE. 207 

acknowledgments of thy sweet grace. Bless the 
Lord, O our souls ! How thy mercies have been 
multiplied upon us, as we have gone about in thy 
strength, and under thy large and loving provi- 
dence, and with endeavors to obey thee, to serve 
our brethren and friends, and to do the nearest 
duty. O Lord, we know that every labor of love, 
even the least, is remembered by thee ; and if we 
have been permitted this day to do the humblest 
work in the spirit of our dear Lord and Saviour, we 
bless thee, our soul's Light and Life, we thank thee 
that we have been suffered to share in any measure 
with Him who hath redeemed us, and is calling us 
with a heavenly calling. Help us to live nearer to 
thee, and in a better obedience. If at any time we 
have failed to heed thy summons, and have gone 
away to please ourselves, may we heartily repent, 
and be found henceforth in thy vineyard, laboring 
in his service, and for the love of him who said, 
" My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." May 
our light so shine before men, that they, seeing our 
good works, may glorify thee, and follow us in our 
following of Christ. In all humility, and deeply 
sensible of our unworthiness, we do pray that we 
may show forth and complete our faith by our 
works. O God, let us never forget that the night 
cometh in which no man can work. Guardian of 
our bodies and of our souls, we commend ourselves 
to thy watchful care during the hours of darkness 



208 ALTAR AT HOME. 

and of slumber. Thou sendest sleep to thy be- 
loved, that they may serve thee the better when 
the sun shall again shine upon our pathways. May 
we rest, only that we may the more earnestly labor. 
In the arms of thy dear Christ may the souls of 
our loved ones repose. Shield them from all harm, 
even from the very thought of evil, and when days 
and nights shall all be ended, pour upon us of the 
light of that sun which shall never more go down, 
and may he who is in the midst of the throne ever- 
more lead us and feed us, and unto thy great name, 
O thou Father of the Christ, shall be the glory. 
Amen. 

EVENING. 

FATHER in heaven, whom thine own heaven 
of blessedness cannot remove from us thine 
earthly creatures, we beseech thee to grant unto us 
the peace that this world cannot bestow. We mar- 
vel sometimes that we are so much troubled, that 
clouds gather over our fortunes, anxieties invade 
our hearts, and bereavements darken our homes. 
We will not deny that there is to us frequent mys- 
tery in thy dealings with us. Yet we bless thee, O 
God, that thy way is justified every day more and 
more by the hand of thy providence, and light ris- 
eth in the midst of darkness to us according as we 
keep thy law and trust in thy love. 

We rejoice that thou hast taught us that there is 



INWARD PEACE. 209 

more good in store for us than what the world calls 
pleasure, happiness, and success. "We bless thee, 
that, through trial and disappointment and mor- 
tification, we are led to seek abiding peace, and 
through the cross of suffering we may win the 
crown of joy. We give thee thanks for thy com- 
forting spirit in the former seasons of our own dark- 
ness, and beseech thee to sustain and guide us in all 
time to come. 

Enable us, Almighty and All-Merciful, so to con- 
trol and school our senses as to keep us from in- 
flaming passions and debasing indulgences. Help 
us so to order our lives as to meet our cares by due 
method, and do our work and bear our burdens 
without indolence or distraction. In all our rela- 
tions with kindred, friends, and the world, may we 
have a kindly and earnest and even temper, so as 
to walk in the love that thinketh no evil and be- 
lie vest in all good. 

And, O our Father, more than for any earthly 
gift or human solace, we pray for the presence and 
help of thy Holy Spirit, the Heavenly Comforter, 
that we may have the indwelling peace of filial 
faith and obedience and communion that is the 
blessed life of the children of God. Graciously 
hear us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



210 ALTAR AT HOME. 

LI. 
TRUST IN GOD. 

The God of love my shepherd is, 

A nd he that doth me feed : 

While he Is mine, and I am his, 

What can I want or need f 

Herbert. 

Put thy trust in God ; let him be thy fear and thy love : 
he shall answer for thee, and will do in all things what is best 
for thee. — A Kempis. 

It is better to put trust in God than to put confidence in 
man. 

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will 
remember the name of the Lord our God. 

Trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who 
giveth us richly all things to enjoy. 

Let us set no bounds to our confidence in God. Let us 
repress all eagerness, all inquietude. He who trusts in God 
becomes immovable as Mount Zion. — Fenelon. 

In thee, therefore, O Lord God, I place my whole hope and 
refuge ; on thee I rest all my tribulation and anguish ; for 
I find all to be weak and inconstant, whatsoever I behold 
out of thee. — A Kempis. 

For many friends cannot profit, nor strong helpers assist, 
nor prudent counsellors give a profitable answer, nor the 
books of the learned afforded comfort, nor any precious sub- 
stance deliver, nor any place, however retired and lovely, 
give shelter, unless thou dost assist, help, strengthen, console, 
instruct, and guard us. — A Kempis. 



TRUST IN GOD. 211 

Without God, our existence has no support, our life no aim, 
our improvements no permanence, our best labors no sure 
and enduring results. — Charming. 

Trust in the Lord, and do good ; so shalt thou dwell in the 
land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 

How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God ! therefore 
#ie children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy 
wings. 

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose 
hope the Lord is. 

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters. 

The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants ; and none of 
them that trust in him shall be desolate. 

Trust in the Lord forever ; for the Lord Jehovah is ever- 
lasting strength. 

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall 
strengthen thine heart. 



Morning. 

OTHOU most holy and ever-loving God, we 
thank thee once more for the quiet rest of the 
night that has gone by, for the new promise that 
has come with this fresh morning, and for the hope 
of this day. While we have slept, the world in 
which we live has swept on in its awful space, great 
fires have burned under us, great waters have been 
all about us, and great storms above us ; but thou 
hast held them back by thy strong hand, and we 



212 ALTAR AT HOME. 

have rested under the shadow of thy love. The 
bird sat on the spray out in the darkness, the flower 
nestled in the grass, we lay down in our home, and 
all slept in the arms of God. The bird will trust 
thee this day to give its morsel of meat, and the 
flower will trust thee for its fresh raiment ; so may 
we trust thee this day for all the needs of the body, 
the soul, and the spirit. Give us this day our daily 
bread. O Father, this day may bring some hard 
task to our life, or some hard trial to our love. We 
may grow weary, or sad, or hopeless in our lot. 
But, Father, our whole life until now has been one 
great proof of thy care. Bread has come for our 
body, thoughts to our mind, love to our heart, and 
all from thee. So help us, we implore thee, while 
we stand still on this side of all that the day may 
bring, and while we are strong and quiet from the 
baptism of the night, to resolve that we will trust 
thee this day to shine into any gloom of the mind, 
to stand by us in any trial of our love, and to give 
us rest in thy good time as we need. 

May this day be full of a power that shall bring 
us near to thee, and make us more like thee ; and, 
O God, may we so trust thee this day, that when 
the day is done our trust shall be firmer than ever. 
Then when our last day comes, and our work is 
done, may we trust thee in death and forever, in 

fhp. <;nirit of Jpsns Ohrist our Lord. Amp.71* 



TRUST IN GOD. 213 

Evening. 

OGLOKIOUS and ever-blessed God, — whose 
word called all things into being, by whom all 
things exist, whose attributes are beyond all our 
powers of thought, — how should we dare in our 
ignorance and our weakness to call upon thee, how 
dare hope that thou wouldst regard our prayer, 
hadst thou not thyself called us thy children, and 
bidden us come unto thee as unto a father. Pour 
out upon us now, we beseech thee, the spirit of 
adoption, that we may truly and earnestly repent 
of our past ingratitude to thee, and of all our sins 
against each other, and against any of our fellow- 
men ; and that we may lie down to rest in the 
calm assurance that our sins are forgiven, that we 
have been accepted in the Beloved, and that we 
have been born again, — born of God, adopted by 
thee into the new household which is named of 
Christ. 

O Lord, we confess the boldness of our prayers, 
but we know that perfect love casteth out fear, and 
we pray that we may be perfected in love. We 
know that we are not worthy to ask aught of thee, 
but we also rejoice to know that thou art ever ready 
to give good gifts to those who ask in penitence and 
faith ; and that thou wilt cause all things to work 
together for good to them that love thee. 

Overshadow us, O Father, and all for whom we 



214 ALTAR AT HOME. 

in our hearts would pray, continually with thy lov- 
ing presence. Let there be no night in our hearts, 
but may we ever have the light of thy countenance 
shining upon us. Make us strong to rejoice in 
doing or in bearing whatsoever thou mayst require 
of us, and grant that, when the evening of life comes 
to us, we may each one, surely trusting in thy love, 
lie down in hope of awaking transformed in the 
glorious image of Him through whom we would 
offer every prayer. Amen. 



LII. 
A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE. 

Quick as the apple of an eye, 

God ! my conscience make ; 

Awake my soul when sin is nigh, 

And keep it still awake. 

C. Wesley. 

The glory of the good is in their consciences, and not in the 
tongues of men. The gladness of the just is of God, and in 
God; and their joy is* of the truth. — A Kempis. 

When the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature 
the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are 
a law unto themselves. 

Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, 



A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE. 215 

their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the 
meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another. 

That the eye of conscience may be always quick and lively, 
let constant use be sure to keep it constantly open, and there- 
by ready and prepared to admit and let in those heavenly 
beams which are always streaming forth from God upon 
minds fitted to receive them. — South. 

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure 
heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. 

Bless me in this life with but peace of my conscience, com- 
mand of my affections, the love of thyself and my dearest 
friends, and I shall be happy. — Sir Thomas Browne. 

Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that 
in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but 
by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in this 
world. 

If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence 
towards God. 

Let me rather choose to die, Shan to sin against my con- 
science. — Wilson. 



Morning. 

INFINITE and holy God, in this morning light 
we would come to thee with our offering of 
grateful worship. Whom have we in heaven but 
thee : and there is none upon earth that we can 
desire in comparison with thee. We thank thee, 
Heavenly Father, for this new day, the gift of thy 
love, the accepted time, the day of salvation. Our 



216 ALTAR AT HOME. 

duties wait for us ; the work given us to do requires 
all our strength. Father, help us to work in such a 
spirit of devotedness and trust, with such singleness 
of purpose, that our life may all be in harmony 
with thy mighty agencies. May we work in such 
wisdom, and with such reference to thy will, that 
what we seek we shall find. A pure and unsullied 
conscience, may we possess it ; the Christ-like 
spirit, may it be our inspiration. To-day may we 
have faith to commit ourselves to Christian prin- 
ciples, and follow the Master. Though appetite 
and sense should crave indulgence ; though the 
world should tempt, or frown and threaten ; though 
doubts and fears should rise up against us ; may we 
dare to do right, and be strong to rise above sin. 
O, to-day may we have Jesus at our side, as a 
mighty brother to counsel us, and with deep spir- 
itual sympathies to uplift us. With our hand in 
his, we cannot go astray ; with our eye upon the 
beauty of his holiness, we cannot fail to hunger and 
thirst after righteousness. 

O God, chasten and sanctify the eager, anxious 
thoughts and desires of the business world ; may all 
learn what it means to seek first the kingdom of 
God and his righteousness, trusting that all these 
things shall be added. Help us to make thy will 
our rule of duty, to be fellow-laborers with thee, 
and so to have Omnipotence for our stay and sup- 
port. O save us from temptations that might over- 
power us. Lead us in the way we should go. 



A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE. 217 

Father of forgiving mercy, save us from our sins, 
and strengthen us to be pure and noble and holy, 
like thy Son. As his disciples, we wait for thy 
blessing, and render to thee praise and thanksgiving 
for ever and ever. Amen. 



Evening. 

INFINITE Being of justice and truth, who hold- 
est nations and men fast bound by thine eternal 
law, amid the solemn stillness of night we humbly 
bow in confession of thy majesty and our depend- 
ence, of thy goodness and our mi worthiness. As 
the shadows gather about us, we would commune 
with thee, and be still. Beneath thine all-seeing eye, 
who knowest us better than we know ourselves, we 
would examine our souls. Search thou our hearts 
and try our thoughts ; see if there be any wicked 
way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting. 

We thank thee for that departing light which has 
made the world glorious to our sight this day, re- 
vealing the tokens of thy love on every hand. 
Still more we praise thee for that inner light which 
lightens every man that cometh into the world, 
which shines in immortal glory from saintly souls, 
illumining the path of the divine life, and revealing 
the riches of the spiritual world. Quicken thou 
our inward vision. Give us the purity of heart 
that shall see thee. By faith may we behold the 
10 



218 ALTAR AT HOME. 

eternal realities for which we should live and labor. 
By the teaching of thy word, by the spirit of 
Christ, and by daily experience may our conscience 
be trained clearly to discern through all perplexities 
the way of duty. Grant us quick moral sense to 
detect and repel all lurking sin, and to discover and 
obey the right. May no delusion of outward sense 
betray us to put error for truth or choose evil for 
good. 

Every day teaches us that we are not sufficient 
unto ourselves. Following our own desires too 
readily, we stray from the strait path that leadeth 
unto life. Trusting on our own strength, we falter 
and fail. Only in thy light can we see light. In 
thee only is our strength and safety. Accept and 
bless the humble efforts to serve thee which this 
day has witnessed. Pity our frailties and forgive 
our sins. May past success encourage us to re- 
newed endeavor ; may past failure admonish us to 
cleave more closely to the strictest rule of right. 
In future peril be thou, O God, our safeguard and 
shield. Keep our feet far from the paths that lead 
to destruction. Make us superior to temptation. 
Through all coming days may we maintain con- 
sciences void of offence toward thee and our fellow- 
man. Let the setting sun find no anger or aliena- 
tion in our hearts toward any brother. Forgiving, 
as we hope to be forgiven ; forbearing one another's 
faults, since none is perfect, may we, as far as con- 



GIVEN TO HOSPITALITY. 219 

sistent with purity and truth, live peaceably with all 
men. Offending none by thought, word, or deed, 
reconciled to all, proving by brotherly love our love 
toward thee, let the incense of our grateful and obe- 
dient hearts rise to thy throne and bring all needed 
blessing down. "We commit ourselves and commend 
our brethren to thy fatherly providence. Refresh 
us for the duties which another day shall bring. 
Prepare us for the everlasting morning, where, in 
higher service, we may live to thy glory. Amen, 



LIII. 
GIVEN TO HOSPITJLITT. 

By Thy pitying spirit guided, 
Jesus sought the sufferer's door ; 

Comfort for the poor provided 
And the mourner's sorrows bore. 

Father, as thy love is endless, 

Working by thy servants thus, 

The forsaken and the friendless 

Deign to visit, e'en by us. 

Piekpont. 

Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 

- When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, 
nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neigh- 



220 ALTAR AT HOME. 

bors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be 
made thee. 

But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, 
the lame, the blind, 

And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense 
thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of 
the just. 

Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will 
deliver him in time of trouble. 

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some 
have entertained angels unawares. 

Exercise the duties of hospitality, kindly and continually ; 
not receiving strangers with that cold and ceremonious polite- 
ness which exists only upon the lips, but affectionately. — 
St. Jerome. 

When thou seest misery in thy brother's face, let him see 
mercy in thine eye : the more the oil of mercy is poured on 
him by thy pity, the more the oil in thy cruse shall be in- 
creased. — Quarles. 

Mercy is more acceptable to God, than all sacrifices. — 
St. Chrysostom. 

If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him 
drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his 
head. 

Morning. 

GIVER of all good, and Fountain of all joy, 
what rich feasts for our senses and our souls 
does thy fatherly love offer anew with each re- 
turning morning. How hast thou filled the earth 



GIVEN TO HOSPITALITY. 221 

with bounty and adorned it with beauty for our 
benefit. We see thy mercy freshly revealed in the 
light and privilege of this new day. Again we 
hear thy gracious invitations to come up higher and 
enjoy the felicity of heavenly things. 

Thanks we give thee for the returning light and 
our daily bread ; for home and health and friends ; 
for the instructions of thy truth and the opportuni- 
ties of thy service ; for repeated warnings against 
sin, and the ample rewards that crown our fidelity ; 
for the sweet and kindly ties that bind us one to 
another, and the pure affections that spring up in 
our hearts, fountains of bliss unspeakable ; for all 
that renders this world a pleasant home, and fits us 
for the life to come. 

Teach us, O Father, to imitate thine own bound- 
less beneficence. Freely as we have received, so 
freely may we give. We would not selfishly appro- 
priate thy favor, but would know the deeper bliss 
of ministering to others' needs. Quicken within us 
the fountains of generosity ; warm our sympathies 
toward the sufferer of every class and clime ; let 
no unbrotherly prejudice ever close our homes or 
hearts against any child of thine. May our faith 
in Christ be no empty profession, but lead us to 
honor him in the persons of the sick, the impris- 
oned, the unfortunate, — his brethren and ours. 
Following in the footsteps of his self-denial and 
brotherly service, may we become the almoners of 
thy bounty and saviours of souls. 



222 ALTAR AT HOME. 

When Truth knocks at the door of our hearts, 
may no indifference or prejudice forbid its entrance, 
but as an angel visitant may it find hospitable wel- 
come. Gladly would we hail every message from 
heaven, however severe the toil or costly the sac- 
rifice to which it calls us. To thy messengers, 
whether of joy or grief, of life or death, we would 
lend attentive ear. And to the heavenly visions 
thou showest us may we never prove disobedient. 

Father, forgive us as we forgive those who wrong 
us. Keep us this day without sin, and may its 
passing hours render us more worthy of thy love. 
Let thy kind providence extend to those near and 
dear to us, and to all for whom we should pray. 
And may the time speedily come when thy glory 
shall fill the world as the waters fill the sea. 
Amen. 

Evening. 

OGOD, we gather and bend before thee again 
in this good home, where we dwell in peace and 
in plenty. The power to make this home is from 
thee ; the power to sustain it is from thee. Thou 
hast made us to differ from the homeless by thy 
pure mercy ; by thy will our life is strong ; by thy 
will we fade away into bare need, and cry to thee 
for bread. Father, hast thou not made us to differ 
that we may give unto others as thou hast given 



GIVEN TO HOSPITALITY. 223 

unto us ? Deepen, we beseech thee, our sense of 
thy great bounty ; help us to see why we are so 
blessed. May we know that these good things are 
given for great and generous uses. The poor we 
have always with us ; the stranger comes to our 
door ; friends dwell near us whose life will be more 
cheerful if they may freely enter with us into this 
cheerful place. O grant that thy spirit may touch 
us, so that we may gladly give of our bread to 
them that hunger, and our shelter to the Son of 
Man who has not where to lay his head. May we 
know that in all guises thine angels come to us, and 
grow radiant only after they are gone. And may 
we make the presence of our home felt all about us, 
in this place where we dwell ; may no sect or party 
name ever close our hearts and our home to the 
good, of any name or nation. So may these fruits 
of good living in all pureness make this dwelling to 
all what thou hast made it to us, as the house of 
God and the very gate of heaven. Then, being 
faithful in our few things, may we know that thou 
hast said, " Well done," and enter into thy joy, 
through Jesus Christ. Amen, 



224 ALTAR AT HOME. 



LIV. 
CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OF GOD. 

The best will is our Father's will. 

And we may rest there calm and still; 

0, make it hour by hour thine own, 

And wish for naught but that alone 

Which pleaseth God. 

Paul Gerhardt. 

Christ said, Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is 
my brother, and my sister and mother. 

Teach me, O Lord, to do thy will ; teach me to live worthily 
and humbly in thy sight ; for thou art my wisdom, thou dost 
truly know me. — A Kempis. 

Let us desire that God's will be done, and only his, and 
we shall make a heaven of earth. — Fenelon. 

All men are members of one body, and, in order to be 
happy, it is necessary they should conform their own private 
wills to that universal will which governs the whole body. — 
Pascal. 

For this is the will of God, even your sanctincation. 

May we no longer follow our own inclinations, but may we 
not only pray, and teach, and suffer, but eat, drink, and con- 
verse, — do all things, with reference to his will. — Fenelon. 

Not with eye-service as men-pleasers ; but as the servants 
of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 

For in truth, the reason why sin is sin, is merely because 
it is contrary to the will of God. If, therefore, when he dis- 



CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OF GOD. 225 

covers his will to us by events, we sin if we do not conform 
ourselves to it. — Pascal. 

Be not conformed to this world ; but be ye transformed by 
the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that 
good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 

It is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well- 
doing than for evil-doing. 

Teach me to do thy will ; for thou art my God : thy Spirit 
is good ; lead me into the land of uprightness. 



Morning. 

OTHOU whose sleepless providence shelters 
and sustains us through darkness and danger, 
with the opening morning we lift our hearts to thee 
in gratitude and trust. To thy service we would 
dedicate our time and talents, asking renewed light 
and strength for all our needs. Father, fill us with 
thine own spirit of justice, mercy, and truth. May 
thy will be ours in duty and in trial, and in ac- 
quaintance with thee let our souls find peace. 

Borne up in the arms of thy loving-kindness, 
never forgotten, but cared for with more than an 
earthly parent's love, we would look to thee in filial 
confidence, believing that thou knowest what is best 
for us, and that thou doest all things well. Teach 
us that when we disobey thee we wrong our own 
souls ; while, to those who faithfully serve thee, 
thou bringest better results than we can foresee or 
10* o 



226 ALTAR AT HOME. 

plan. Profoundly impress it upon our hearts, that 
our only real enemy is sin, that naught can harm 
us but our own wrong-doing, that all things work 
for good to those who love God. 

As we go forth this day, may a lively sense of 
duty so penetrate and sanctify our humblest labors, 
that, whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, 
we shall live to thy glory. To the great principles 
of right illustrated in Jesus may we unreservedly 
commit ourselves, and follow without faltering 
wherever they shall show the way. And though 
they summon us to surrender our dearest interests, 
may we willingly give up all outward good for the 
richer satisfactions to which they surely lead. 

In trial or grief we would cheerfully accept what- 
ever lot thou shalt ordain. Do with us as thou 
wilt, O Lord. Drawing nigh to Jesus by faith, may 
his fidelity and submission inspire us to go forth 
upon our Father's work, and, when the bitter cup 
is offered, to say, " Father, thy will, not mine, be 
done." And whether called to part with earthly 
treasure, or friends dear to our hearts, still may we 
say, " The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken 
away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." 

Father, forgive our sins and shortcomings, and 
grant those things thou seest we need. Hallowed 
be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be 
done on earth as in heaven. Thine is the kingdom, 
the power, and the glory, forever. Amen, 



CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OF GOD. 227 

Evening. 

OGOD, our Heavenly Father, have mercy upon 
us. Thou knowest our hearts, and how sorely 
we are tried. Have pity upon us, and bring us 
into a perfect submission to thy will. Help us 
always to accept thy will as the highest end and 
law of life. If flesh and heart are weak, be thou 
our strength and our portion. Grant to us our 
daily bread ; grant health, and strength, and friends, 
and all the earthly comforts that we need. But if, 
in thy richer mercy and thy more comprehensive 
love, thou seest fit to withdraw thine earthly gifts, 
— even those most dear and precious to us, — help 
us to bear the loss with patient and thankful sub- 
mission. Thou, O God, didst give, and thou dost 
take away, blessed be thy name. Only draw us 
more closely to thy bosom. Breathe into us the 
spirit of thy Son, through which we also may be 
lifted above our earthly griefs, and, in our sorest 
privations and afflictions, each one of us may say, 
I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and 
earth ; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in 
thy sight. So may each earthly loss become to us 
a heavenly gain. So may every new trial, through 
thy grace, which is sufficient for us, refine and 
purify our hearts, bring us into closer sympathy 
with thee, and, transforming us more and more 
into the image of our Lord, prepare us for that 



228 ALTAR AT HOME. 

world where there shall be no more sorrow nor 
crying, neither any more pain, and where God 
shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



LV. 
HELP THOU OUR UNBELIEF. 

Father ! when o'er our trembling hearts 
Doubt's shadows gathering brood, 

When faith in thee almost departs, 
And gloomiest fears intrude; 

Forsake us not, God of grace, 
But send those fears relief; 

Grant us again to see thy face; 

Lord, help our unbelief 

Bulfinch. 

Jesus saith unto them, Have faith in God. 

Take heed, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of 
unbelief, in departing from the living God. 

For the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation 
to every one that believeth : to the Jew first, and also to the 
Greek. 

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith 
to faith : as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 

Faith must lay our hearts to rest in the will of God, amid 
all the changes of life and death. — Baxter. 






HELP THOU OUR UNBELIEF. 229 

I say unto you, What things soever ye desire when ye 
pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 

But without faith it is impossible to please God ; for he that 
cometh to him must believe that he is, and that he is a re- 
warder of them that diligently seek him. 

Jesus saith, According to your faith be it unto you. 

Trust in the Living God who is the Saviour of all men, 
specially of those who believe. 

Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mus- 
tard-seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to 
yonder place, and it shall remove ; and nothing shall be im- 
possible unto you. 

In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor 
uncircumcision ; but faith which worketh by love. 

Lord, increase our faith. 

Jesus said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to 
him that believeth. 

Lord, I believe ; help thou mine unbelief. 



Morning. 

ALMIGHTY God, by whose goodness we again 
behold the morning light, we desire to begin 
this day with thee. By looking np unto thee in 
thankful trust, we would assure our souls of thy 
nearness to us, and renew the joy and peace of be- 
lieving. Amid all the scenes through which we are 
called to pass this day, let our minds rest trustingly 
and peacefully in thee. For every labor and duty 



230 ALTAR AT HOME. 

may we receive needed strength from on high. 
Suffer us not to be led into any new temptation, 
nor be overcome by easily besetting sins. Let no 
pleasures beguile us into forge tfulness of thee. Let 
no disappointments cause us for a moment to dis- 
trust thy fatherly goodness. Let no irritations pro- 
voke us to anger or to fretfulness ; and though clouds 
should gather in our sky, may there be a clear shin- 
ing of thy light within us. As thou art to be seen 
in the face of Jesus Christ, yearning with pity and 
love to the children of men, so may we ever behold 
thee ; and may this blessed manifestation of thy 
tender compassions awaken in each of our bosoms 
continual responses of gratitude, submission, and 
obedience. May no events ever shake our faith in 
thee, but may our daily experience confirm and 
establish it more and more. May our walk with 
thee be so close, that in every step of life we shall 
feel that thy hand is leading us. Go with us, we 
beseech thee, through the hours of this day, de- 
fending us from the evil ; and so rule in our hearts 
by thy spirit, that, at their close, we may have the 
testimony of our consciences that we have failed in 
no duty, and have kept ourselves unspotted from 
the world. 

Unite us all to one another in the closest bonds 
of purity and affection ; and may our kindred and 
friends, wherever their lot is cast, be joint partakers 
with us in the blessings of thy providence and the 



HELP THOU OUR UNBELIEF. 231 

riches of thy grace. Hear us, God, we humbly 
beseech thee, in these desires and petitions of our 
hearts, and accept the homage of our unfeigned 
gratitude, love, and praise, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. 

Evening. 

OTHOU whose gracious power has this day 
defended us from evil, and whose precious 
promise is that thou wilt be the God of those who 
shall be thy people, make us to be numbered with 
thy saints, and grant that we may ever be under 
the guidance of thy Spirit, as we are under the care 
of thy providence. We thank thee for all the mer- 
cies that thou hast bestowed upon us hitherto, and 
acknowledge that we have not returned unto thee 
the thanksgiving of obedience as we ought. O 
Father, let us now feel the fulfilment of the 
prophet's word, that at evening time it shall be light ; 
and may the clouds that have arisen and hidden 
thy throne from us now pass away. Sanctify our 
hearts, and make us so pure that we may see thee, 
and see all things transfigured in the glorious light 
of thy presence. Let the unseen things of faith 
become to us, as they are in truth, things real and 
eternal ; and let the things of time and sense be to 
us, as they in truth are, unsubstantial and transient. 
Whensoever, O gracious Father, our eyes become 



232 ALTAR AT HOME. 

dim, our faith feeble, and our love cold, then send 
into our hearts that holy influence which shall bring 
to our minds the words of Christ, — the eternal 
words which shall endure when heaven and earth 
have passed away, and let those words be the rock 
on which we build, whence we may see, with un- 
clouded eyes, the heavenly land ; let those words fill 
us with that love and peace and charity which is 
our foretaste of the heaven to come. 

Bless us, O God, and all those for whom we 
would pray, with these gifts of thy grace ; let thy 
kingdom come in all the earth ; let thy will be done 
here below as in heaven above. For thine is the 
kingdom and the power ; thine be, through Christ 
our Lord, the glory evermore. Amen. 



LVI. 
CONSIDER TOUR WATS. 

Thus far on life's perplexing path, 
Thus far the Lord our steps hath led ; 

Safe from the world's pursuing wrath, 

Unharmed though floods hung o'er our head; 

Here then we pause, look back, adore, 
Like ransomed Israel from the shore. 

Montgomery. 

Now, therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider your 
ways. 



CONSIDER YOUR WAYS. 233 

I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my 
tongue. 

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be estab- 
lished. 

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the 
ends thereof are the ways of death. 

O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes ! 

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the 
Lord. 

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law 
of the Lord. 

Let us remember our way, and where we are, and keep our 
garments girt up ; for we walk amidst thorns and briers, 
which, if we let them down, will entangle and stop us, and 
possibly tear our garments. — Leigliton. 

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the 
way of evil men. 

Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 

Trust in the Lord with all thy heart. In all thy ways ac- 
knowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. 

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art 
acquainted with all my ways. 

Search me, O God, and know mine heart; try me, and 
know my thoughts ; 

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me 
in the way everlasting. 

Morning. 

ALMIGHTY God, by whose gracious ordi- 
nance man goeth forth to his work and his 



234 ALTAR AT HOME. 

labor until the evening, assist us, we humbly be- 
seech thee, before we engage in the duties and 
labors of this day, to call to remembrance the ben- 
efits we have received at thy hand in days past, to 
ponder the paths our feet have trodden, and to con- 
sider our thoughts and our ways, whether they 
have been ordered according to thy word. Expose 
unto us, O God, the things that are hidden in our 
hearts, that we, seeing our guilt, may bring unto 
thee the sacrifice of a humble and contrite spirit, 
and by the prevalency of our prayers may obtain 
grace to help in every future time of need. Enable 
us to search ourselves, as in thy sight, and from 
all the evil of our wicked desires and unrighteous 
doings, good Lord deliver us. Let not our trans- 
gressions be brought into judgment against us, nor 
separate us from thy love in Christ Jesus our Lord. 
Kindle our hearts to thankfulness and our lips to 
praise in the remembrance of thy mercies ; and let 
thy long-suffering to us-ward, while it shows to us 
that thou art slow to anger and abundant in good- 
ness, make us heartily ashamed to abuse thy pa- 
tience by more disobedience. O Thou who seest 
our every act and thought, let thine eye be upon 
us ; and wilt thou direct our steps this day ? Let us 
not wander into by and forbidden paths, but keep 
in the straight and narrow way which leadeth to 
thee. Thus may each day bring us one day's 
journey nearer to heaven. So may evening and 



CONSIDER YOUR WAYS. 235 

morning, as in turn they manifest thy goodness and 
declare thy glory, lead us wisely to consider our 
way before thee, and devoutly to show forth thy 
praise. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, in- 
visible, the only wise God, be honor and glory, 
through Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Evening. 

AGAIN, O God, thy mercy has brought us to 
the close of day. Softly thou hast drawn 
around us the folds of night, and dost permit us to 
look for its welcome repose. Yet, O our Father, 
we would not thoughtlessly resign the hours of this 
day, but would look back upon them in solemn and 
reverent thought. Another period of deep respon- 
sibility and of precious opportunities has gone, never 
to return. Another portion of life's great tablet 
has been written through, and its abiding record is 
with thee. In thy sacred presence, we would dwell 
upon the lesson it has taught. Thou knowest 
whether we have improved the opportunities which 
it brought, whether we have performed its duties 
and accepted its discipline aright. Infinite and 
Holy One, we seek shelter under the wings of thy 
compassion, as we recall our manifold neglects. 
Our own hearts condemn us for our ingratitude 
and sin. And thou art greater than our hearts, 
and knowest all things. Lord, be merciful to us, 



236 ALTAR AT HOME. 

and may the consciousness of thy overflowing good- 
ness, daily and hourly renewed, quicken our love 
for thee, and animate us with new desires to do thy 
will. Help us, O God, to feel the solemn mystery 
of life. Give us a new sense of our infinite capaci- 
ties and our eternal hopes. Give us new confi- 
dence in prayer, increased faith in the divine mis- 
sion of Jesus, and more fixed and solemn purposes 
of duty. And grant that thus we shall not be 
homeless and aimless wanderers upon the earth, 
but may have ever the rod and staff of a guiding 
and sustaining faith. And now unto thee, our kind 
Guardian and Defence, we commend ourselves 
anew. Keep us, if it be thy will, to see another 
day. And grant that the life we shall henceforth 
live in the flesh, we may live in the faith and love 
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



HIS COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT. 237 

LVII. 
HIS COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT. 

Fountain of light, and living breath, 
Whose mercies never fail nor fade, 

Fill me with life that hath no death, 
Fill me with light that hath no shade ; 

Appoint the remnant of my days 

To see thy power and sing thy praise. 

John Quakles. 

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, be- 
cause his compassions fail not. 

They are new every morning : great is thy faithfulness. 

Though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion accord- 
ing to the multitude of his mercies. 

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise ; but is long- 
suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but 
that all should come to repentance. 

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot 
save ; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. 

The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will 
not at all acquit the wicked. 

But thou, Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, 
long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. 

O, how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for 
them that fear thee ! 

The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth 
them out of all their troubles. 



238 ALTAR AT HOME. 

When I said, My foot slippeth, thy mercy, Lord, held 
me up. 

I will praise thee, Lord my God, with all my heart ; and 
I will glorify thy name forevermore. 

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. 

O, satisfy us early with thy mercy ; that we may rejoice 
and be glad all our days. 

O, come let us worship and bow down : let us kneel before 
the Lord our Maker. 

Morning. 

FATHER of mercies, we thank thee yet again 
for thy kindness. That we are all here to- 
gether to unite in prayer and in thankfulness, we 
praise thee. That thou hast given us a happy 
home, and hast bound us together in the ties of 
thine own dear love, we thank thee. Forgive us 
that we ever try to break those ties in our impa- 
tience, or anger. Forgive us for our passionate 
words, or for our unkind acts. And grant that to- 
day we may all live together as thine own children 
should, giving each to each of the blessings thou 
hast given to us, and thankful each to each for all 
that we receive from each other. So be pleased, 
each day, to make this home thine own home, to 
lead us all with a Father's hand, and in our faith, 
and hope, and love here to bring us nearer and 
nearer to thyself. We ask it and hope for it, trust- 
ing in the promises of thy Son. Amen. 



HIS COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT. 239 

EVENING. 

GOD of all comfort and strength, we know that 
thou drawest near to thy children who seek 
thee, in their hours of trial and solicitude. When 
fond earthly hopes fail, thou, in thine unchangeable 
goodness and thy all-perfect compassion, dost lift 
upon us the light of thy countenance, to give us 
peace. Of thy goodness it is that our life is con- 
tinued. From thee is the source of every cheering 
hope of the future. And thou, in thy far-reaching 
providence, art touching our hearts in all the ways 
by which we are called to set our aifections less 
upon things of the earth, and things which perish 
with the using, and to set them more upon what is 
unfailing and eternal in the heavens. By all the 
discipline of life thou wouldst bring us closer to 
thee. We would feel that in the best earthly 
friendships, and in the nearest ties of human kin- 
dred, we see but an imperfect token of the infinite 
tenderness of thy compassion. Grant that we may 
with all confidence commit to thee what belongs to 
the welfare of our household and of the friends 
whom we love. Grant that we may rest with qui- 
etness of heart upon all the disposals made by the 
Wisdom which is so much higher than ours. May 
we be happy in the certainty that thou wilt, here- 
after, show us what now we know not. Prepare us 
to be partakers of that higher life which is to be 



240 ALTAR AT HOME. 

revealed. Of thy tender mercy, forgive whatever 
is unworthy in us. Bring us into the fulness of 
thy light and peace, and let there be upon our lips 
and in our hearts a new song, even praise unto our 
God. Amen. 



LVIII. 
FAITH IN CHRIST. 

My hope is built on nothing less 

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness ; 

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, 

But wholly lean on Jesus' name. 

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand ; 

All other ground is sinking sand. 

Rees. 

Whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ shall not pjerish, but 
have eternal life. 

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth 
that Jesus is the Son of God. 

I believe : Lord, increase my faith ; and let it be unto thy 
servant according to this word. — Wilson. 

For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and 
man, the man Christ Jesus. 

Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him 
a name which is above every name ; that at the name of Jesus 
every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that 
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 



FAITH IN CHRIST. 241 

I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest : 

If thou passest through the fire, I will not be torn from 
thee : 

I will fear no evil since thou art with me. — St. Bernard. 

A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the 
faith of Jesus Christ : even we have believed in Jesus Christ, 
that we might be justified by the faith of Christ. 

But if while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves 
also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin ? 
God forbid. 

Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 

I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowl- 
edge of Christ Jesus my Lord. 

That I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having 
mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which 
is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of 
God through faith. 

Morning. 

OGOD, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, in the morning, now we have awoke 
from our death-like slumber, shalt thou again hear 
our voice. The light of a new day, sent forth by 
thee, and spread over earth and sea and sky, is 
again shining into our dwellings: let the light of 
thy truth shine in our hearts, and may there be in 
us no darkness at all. The air savors of thy love, 
bird and beast sing of thy wisdom, and incense is 
going up to thee from ten thousand urns ; how un- 
11 p 



242 ALTAR AT HOME. 

grateful we must be, how cold and dead, if we can 
now be dumb and have no offerings of praise to 
thee, who hast formed us with susceptibility of 
enjoyment, imparted to the bosom its tenderness, 
and given a voice of harmony to all thy creation. 
Open thou our lips. Teach us to pray. And may 
our prayers, prompted and framed by thee, go up 
on the wings of devotion, and on the sweet breath 
of the morning. 

Our Father who art in heaven, blessed be thy 
name for what the day brings, for the renewed 
manifestations of thy wisdom and the fresh tokens 
of thy watchful providence and unchanging love. 
Seated in thy high and holy place, thou dost guide 
the great orbs of light along their wondrous paths, 
bringing to us the morning and the evening and the 
vicissitudes of the seasons. Thou dost order the 
events of every life ; and not a flower blossoms nor 
a sparrow falls without the notice of thine eye. 
Above all, do we thank thee for that sweet influence 
which informs, guides, and sustains. The law came 
by Moses, but truth and grace by Jesus Christ. 
Not only hast thou given us the fair world, full of 
riches and varied enjoyments, to live in ; but a 
world, sanctified by the presence, cheered by the 
sacred words and works, and hallowed by the foot- 
steps, the tears, and the blood of thy Son. Blessed 
be thy name beyond all present enjoyment, — all 
that may please the eye and the ear and the grosser 



FAITH IN CHRIST. 243 

senses : what hast thou not done to soothe the solici- 
tudes and satisfy the deeper wants of the heart ! 
Thou hast bowed the very heavens and come down ; 
and what tender associations, what precious memo- 
ries, what transcendent hopes, hast thou imparted 
to kindle within us the religious life, to lift us above 
these transient scenes, and bear us away to those 
immortal regions where thou wilt unveil thy glory, 
and satisfy the craving heart of man. 

O Lord, most merciful and gracious, do thou this 
day strengthen our faith in Jesus ; enlarge our con- 
ceptions of the dignity of his office, the sanctity of 
his work, the beauty of his life. Let his name be 
more and more dear to our hearts. Let the spirit 
of his life more and more mould our own. May 
we be transformed into his likeness, and feel the 
greatness of his love, and so darkness and fear and 
despondency be scattered. Infinite Father, may 
thy kingdom, which is the kingdom of light and 
praise and love, come, thy will be done as it is done 
in heaven; and thine shall be the praise and the 
glory forever. Amen. 

Evening. 

OUR Heavenly Father ! we unite as a household 
in thanksgivings to thee for all the blessings 
of another day. And while we supplicate thy 
merciful care and protection through the hours of 



244 ALTAR AT HOME. 

night, we would humbly acknowledge our own 
weakness and sinfulness, and pray for thy pardon- 
ing grace. Thou art a just God and a Saviour. 
We rejoice that thou hast revealed thyself to us 
in Jesus Christ, as mighty to save and ready to 
forgive. Help us through him to find our way to 
thee, as the loving Father of our spirits. May thy 
Holy Spirit interpret to us more clearly the gospel 
of salvation. May our souls be washed and puri- 
fied in the healing fountains of thy love. May the 
peace of God be richly shed abroad in our hearts 
as we go to our nightly rest. Bless us with the 
sweet assurance that we are the companions of 
angels, that thine own everlasting arm is about us, 
and that thine unslumbering eye watches over us 
for good. Refresh us in body and soul. Prepare 
us, through thine inworking grace, for all future 
duties and trials. And when all earthly things 
shall fail with us, O admit us to be joint heirs with 
Jesus Christ to thine everlasting kingdom. Amen. 






SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES. 945 

LIX. 
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES. 

It is the one true Light 

That, when all other lamps grow dim, 
Shall never burn less purely bright, 

Nor lead astray from Him. 

It is the golden Key 

To treasures of celestial wealth, — 

. Joy to the sons of poverty, 

And to the sick man, health. 

Emily Taylor. 

Search the Scriptures ; for in them ye think ye have eter- 
nal life : and they are they which testify of me. 

If thou desire to reap profit, read with humility, simplicity, 
and faithfulness ; nor ever desire the estimation of learning. — 
A Kempis. 

For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written 
for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the 
Scriptures, might have hope. 

Continue in the things which thou hast learned, and hast 
been assured of. 

The Holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salva- 
tion, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 

The Holy Scriptures have not only an elementary use, but 
a use of perfection ; neither can they ever be exhausted, but 
still, even to the most learned and perfect in them, there is 
somewhat to be learned more. — Herbert. 



246 ALTAR AT HOME. 

From hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word, good 
Lord deliver us. — Wilson. 

He that saith I know God, and keepeth not his command- 
ments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 

But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of 
God perfected. 

Give me, O God, a sincere love for the truths of the Gos- 
pel, a teachable heart, and an obedient will. 

Order my steps in thy word : and let not any iniquity have 
dominion over me. 

Let my heart be sound in thy statutes ; that I be not 
ashamed. 

The word of the Lord endureth forever; and this is the 
word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 



Morning. 

OTHOU incomprehensible Being, whose great- 
ness transcends human thought, and whose 
wisdom is unfathomable, we know thee not as thou 
art, and may not presume to speak of thy mysteri- 
ous essence ; for who by searching can find out God ? 
But blessed be thy name, thou hast not left thyself 
without witnesses of thy majesty and memorials of 
thy goodness. Day unto day uttereth speech, and 
night unto night showeth knowledge of thee. Thy 
word hath gone out unto the ends of the earth, and 
there is no spot so high, so low, or so distant, on 
which it may not be heard. Thou hast written it 



SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES. 247 

on the face of nature, in the courses of the heav- 
enly bodies, on the rocky foundations of our globe, 
in the changes of the world and the history of man ; 
and they tell of the length of thy years, of the 
majesty of thy power, and of the greatness of thy 
wisdom and love. 

But, above all, hast thou been pleased to breathe 
it into the ear of patriarch, prophet, and apostle, 
and hast caused that it should be inscribed by their 
hands, and transmitted from generation to genera- 
tion for our use. How shall we sufficiently thank 
thee, Holy Father, that these Scriptures, so full 
of inspiration, and so intimately connected with the 
life of the world, should be preserved for us. 
Teach us to value them as we ought. Let us never 
forget that they contain thy word of truth and thy 
gracious promise made to the heart of man. Let 
us remember what they have been to our world ; 
how, when it was lying in ignorance, and under 
the shadow of death, they guided and instructed 
and saved it. Let us never forget, that they contain 
the history of thy communications with man, in- 
formed, inspired, and pervaded by thine own spirit, 
— the promises unto the fathers by the prophets, and 
their fulfilment in the wonderful life and transcend- 
ent works of Jesus, in the unspeakably grand and 
affecting circumstances which attended his death, 
resurrection, and ascension to thee, where he ever 
liveth, at the head of his spiritual kingdom, to guide 



248 ALTAR AT HOME. 

its destinies, and make intercession for us, and wel- 
come us to his rest. 

Merciful Father, save us from the folly of turning 
away in indifference and neglect from these vener- 
able Scriptures. May we never forget that they 
contain the word, and are the power of God unto 
salvation. May we hold them in our heart's rever- 
ence. May they be a lamp to our feet, and a guide 
to our ways. May we search them diligently, and 
partake largely of their spirit. Open, O God, the 
inward eye, and we shall see wonderful things out 
of thy holy word. Open the inward ear, and in 
all times of our tribulation and self-abandonment, we 
shall hear thy gentle voice of solace, forgiveness, 
and peace. Speak, Lord, to our hearts, and it shall 
be well with thy servants. All of which we ask in 
the name and as disciples of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

EVENING. 

OUR, Father, and our God : thou who dwellest 
in light ineffable and full of glory ; at the 
close of another day we, thy children, come unto 
thee to acknowledge our dependence and to seek 
thy blessing. In our darkness and our ignorance 
we are prone to go astray ; and as this day we have 
sinned against thee, wilt thou forgive us, and wilt 
thou send down thy Holy Spirit into our hearts to 
turn us away from all transgression, and to en- 
lighten our understandings. 



SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES. 249 

We thank thee, our Heavenly Father, for thy 
truth. Thy word is truth ; and in it we have ever- 
lasting life. Give us, we beseech thee, the dispo- 
sition to search it diligently, and an understanding 
heart in reading its lessons. As thou hast given 
it to us to be a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto 
our path, help us to follow its shining unto the end. 
In its revelations concerning thee, our Father, and 
in its revelations concerning a future world, and in 
what it teaches concerning life and duty, we have 
full assurance of thy interest in us, and thy care 
for us, and of thy unfailing solicitude that we should 
walk in thy commandments and ordinances blame- 
less. If hitherto we have been indifferent to thy 
word, and have failed to make it our wisdom and 
our counsel, wilt thou incline our hearts to it hence- 
forth, that we may do the things which it commands, 
and may be followers together of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. O God, we need the teachings of thy Spirit, 
that we may rightly search and duly understand thy 
word, and that it may lead us in filial obedience and 
love unto thee, our Father, and conduct us at last 
to our heavenly home. Wilt thou grant unto us 
what we so much need, and crown with blessing all 
our searchings into thy truth. 

Our prayer for our friends, for all whom we should 
remember at the throne of thy grace, for all man- 
kind, is that they may come to a knowledge of the 
truth, and be everlastingly saved by thy grace. 



250 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Do thou hear us, O God, and accept and bless us. 
We ask it in the name of our Lord and Saviour 
Jesus Christ. Amen. 



LX. 

TEMPERANCE AND MODERATION 

Happy the man whose cautious steps 

Still keep the golden mean ; 
Whose life, by wisdom's rules well formed, 

Declares a conscience clean. 

His business is to keep his heart, 

Each passion to control ; 

Nobly ambitious well to rule 

The empire of his soul. 

Needham. 

Let your moderation be known unto all men. 

He is fit to sit at the table of the Lord, and to feast with 
saints, who moderately uses the creatures which God hath 
given him ; 

But he that despises even lawful pleasures shall not only 
sit and feast with God, but reign together with him, and par- 
take of his glorious kingdom. — Taylor. 

Moderation is the silken string running through the pearl 
chain of all virtues. — Fuller. 

Let our life be moderate, our desires reasonable, our hopes 
little. — Taylor. 



TEMPERANCE AND MODERATION. 251 

Be not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no 
striker, not given to filthy lucre ; 

But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, 
holy, temperate. 

The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle 
unto all men, apt to teach, patient. 

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, 
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 

Be not among wine-bibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh : 
for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty. 

Let us watch and be sober. 

He that resisteth pleasure crowneth his life. 

Let us not imagine that excess, luxury, and superfluity, and 
the love of pleasures, are less criminal because so common. — 
Wilson. 

Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. 

Morning. 

WITH the return of this morning light, O 
God, we rise, refreshed with slumber, the 
gift of thy love, to the duties of the day. We direct 
our prayer unto thee, asking for wisdom and strength 
to do our duty in all things. O restrain us from 
all excesses. Make us earnest and firm indeed, but 
also keep us within the limits of moderation and 
prudence. Let not our indolence or unbelief cause 
us to fall short of the mark of our obligation. Let 
not our rash desires hurry us beyond the sacred 



252 ALTAR AT HOME. 

boundaries of justice, purity, and our true interests. 
We pray that through this day, and through every 
day thy grace allots us below, we may be temperate 
and judicious in all things, careful to do what shall 
be pleasing in thy sight. Accept our homage and 
answer our petitions, O Lord, for thy mercy's sake 
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



EVENING. 

ALMIGHTY God, Father of our spirits, we 
thank thee for all the powers and faculties of 
our nature ; for those capacities by which we are 
distinguished from the brutes that perish. Grant 
us, we pray thee, an entire control over all our dis- 
positions and desires, that we may never come into 
bondage to our appetites, nor be swayed by the ob- 
jects of flesh and sense. By thy gracious aid may 
we be enabled to maintain a conscience void of 
offence towards God and towards man. Aid us to 
be perpetually vigilant in the examination of our 
motives and the government of our actions. May 
we bridle the tongue in every hour of temptation, 
remembering that, if any man offend not in word, 
the same is a perfect man. Give us an eye to see 
ourselves as we are seen by others, and, above all, 
by thee the Omniscient One. 

Holy Father, we pray for a complete knowledge 
of our ruling principles and affections ; may we dis- 



TEMPERANCE AND MODERATION. 253 

cern clearly our chief moral dangers, and become 
acquainted with our transgressions and our defects. 
Clothe us with more power over the great springs of 
our conduct ; give us, we beseech thee, daily new vic- 
tories over our corrupt passions and irregular desires. 
Let us rise continually toward that elevated con- 
dition where no prejudices will distort our judgment, 
no unkind emotions enter our breasts, and nothing 
impure exist within us to disturb our peace. 

We thank thee that, in this our earthly warfare 
with evil, we have as a forerunner One who was 
tempted as we are at all points, yet escaped without 
sin. We pray for the same mind which was also in 
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let his con- 
stant self-denial dwell in us, that we may subject 
ourselves, like him, wholly to thy will. In all the 
changing scenes of life may his blessed Gospel, by 
its sacred truths, its perfect precepts, and its glori- 
ous promises, be a light to our feet, and enable us 
to resist temptation, and bear us up under every 
trial, sorrow, and burden. In the evil day may we 
be led on by thine invisible hand, and delivered in 
safety from our spiritual foes. Help us to use this 
world as not abusing it, seeing that the fashion of it 
passeth quickly away. Chasten all our expectations 
and hopes ; and may we let our moderation be 
known unto all men. Free from our unholy am- 
bition, and loving thy praise more than the praise 
of man, may we never be unduly elevated by hu- 



254 ALTAR AT HOME. 

man praise or depressed by the ill opinion of others. 
Caring more to deserve approbation than to receive 
it, we desire to seek supremely that honor which 
cometh from on high. In the conflicts and struggles 
before us, aid us, we beseech thee, by thy Holy 
Spirit, that we may come off more than conquerors 
through Him who hath loved us, in whose name we 
ascribe unto thee glory and praise forever. Amen, 



LXI. 
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 

Veil, Lord, mine eyes till she be past, 

When Folly tempts my sight ; 
Keep thou my palate and my taste 

From gluttonous delight ; 
Stop thou mine ear from sirens' songs, 

My tongue from lies restrain ; 

Withhold my hands from doing wrongs, 

My feet from courses vain. 

George Wither. 

Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own 
lust, and enticed. 

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation ; for when he 
is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath 
promised to them that love him. 

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. 



LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 255 

We must not be surprised that we are tempted. We are 
placed here to be proved by temptations. Everything is 
temptation to us. Crosses irritate our pride, and prosperity 
flatters it ; our life is a continual warfare ; but Jesus Christ 
combats with us. — Fenelon. 

Temptations are often very profitable to us, though they be 
troublesome and grievous; for in them a man is humbled, 
purified, and instructed. — A Kempis. 

The beginning of all evil temptations is inconstancy of 
mind and small confidence in God. — A Kempis. 

If you would not be foiled by temptation, do not enter into 
a dispute with Satan. Dispute not, but fight. — Anon. 

God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above 
that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a 
way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

Let us not, then, shrink from these trials, remembering 
always that in them Jesus Christ fights with us, and for us. 
— St. Chrysostom. 

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple 
of my God, and he shall go no more out ; and I will write 
upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city 
of my God, which is new Jerusalem. 

Set a watch, Lord, before my mouth ; keep the door of 
my lips. 

Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked 
works with men that work iniquity. 



O 



Morning. 

HOLY Father, by whose loving-kindness we 
have been thus far led, and by whose good 



256 ALTAR AT HOME. 

providence we see the returning light of this day, 
let thy light shine ever upon our path, — that mar- 
vellous light which is from above, and which shall 
show us all things in their true character. Let thy 
dear Son this day touch the eyes of each one of us, 
that they may be opened to detect every illusion of 
the tempter, and preserve us from all his snares. 
We have neither strength nor wisdom in ourselves, 
O Father, but hi thy grace through Christ Jesus 
we can do all things. Fulfil for us his prayer, that 
his disciples may be with him where he is. And 
in the light of his word and of Iris presence let us 
behold the reality of things of the Spirit, the empti- 
ness and falsehood of the promises of the flesh ; by 
the strength of thy grace may we be strong this 
day to walk in the path of duty, to hold fast our 
integrity, and to resist every allurement to evil, 
however closely it may assume the garb of an angel 
of light. 

O Father, show thy mercy unto all thy children, 
bringing forth among all nations truth victorious, 
and causing justice to prevail against wrong-doers ; 
hastening in every land the coming of thy kingdom. 
Let our own land, O gracious God, be ever dealt 
with in mercy, and all our nation brought into the 
ways of righteousness and liberty and peace. And 
may thy blessing be upon us and upon all whom we 
love, this day and evermore. Amen. 



LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 257 

Evening. 

HEAVENLY Father, we implore thy blessing, 
surrounded as we are by a world of temp- 
tation and danger. Give us, we beseech thee, 
that wisdom which is from above, that we may 
be able to discern between the things that differ 
in thy sight, and to choose always that which is 
right. May we take fast hold of instruction, and 
not let her go ; may we keep her, knowing that she 
is our life. May we incline our ear to wisdom, and 
apply our heart to understanding, and depart from 
all evil. Preserve us from that pride which goeth 
before destruction, and from that haughty spirit 
which precedeth a fall. Guard us from undue 
confidence in our own wisdom when apart from 
thee ; endow us with a meek and teachable dis- 
position, that we may look up to thee for help in 
every hour of exposure and peril. Ever may we 
watch against the approach of our spiritual enemies, 
putting on the whole armor of faith and salvation. 
We would listen reverently to the admonition and 
reproof of conscience, and to the voice of thy Son, 
our dear Saviour. By acknowledging and forsak- 
ing our past errors, may we be saved and shielded 
against future sins. Thou art teaching us daily by 
the course of thy providence and the secret coun- 
sels of thy Holy Spirit ; let not these solemn lessons 
be ever lost upon us. 

Q 



258 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Give us an eye to see the constant evidence there 
is of thy moral government over us, and that thou, 
the Righteous One, lovest righteousness and hatest 
iniquity. May we be thoroughly convinced that 
there is no true and lasting peace to those who do 
evil, and that it is always well with those who keep 
thy commandments. Thou art our Father, help us 
to be thy loving and obedient children, rejoicing to 
know thy blessed will, and to do it with our whole 
hearts. We would submit ourselves to the guidance 
of thy unerring counsels, and pray that none of the 
deceitful pleasures of sin may seduce us into the 
path of the transgressor. Establish thou us in the 
firm control of our passions, and the steady govern- 
ment of our hearts and our whole lives. . Help us 
to discern the certainty and the value of the recom- 
pense thou hast prepared for persevering virtue, 
and to know by our own happy experience that in 
keeping thy commands there is a present and great 
reward. Let our views of thee be so clear and so 
tender and affecting that we shall never grow weary 
of well-doing. Now unto Him who is able to keep 
us from falling, and to present us without blame 
before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 
to God only wise, be glory forever. Amen. 



PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. 259 

LXII. 
PRAT WITHOUT CEASING. 

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, 

Uttered or unexpressed ; 

The motion of a hidden fire 

That trembles in the breast. 

Montgomery. 

Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father 
in my name, he will give it you. 

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; 
knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 

This is the confidence we have in God, that if we ask any- 
thing according to his will, he heareth us. 

How good is God ! who will not only give us what we pray 
for, but will reward us for going to him, and laying our wants 
before him. — Wilson. 

May I wait with patience, and leave it to thee how and 
when to grant my petitions. — Wilson. 

To pray is to say, Let thy will be done ; it is to form a good 
purpose ; it is to raise our hearts to God ; it is to lament our 
weakness ; it is to sigh at the recollection of our frequent dis- 
obedience. — Fenelon. 

Ask not for that which is delightful and profitable to thee, 
but for that which is acceptable to God ; 

For those desires are not pure and perfect which are tinc- 
tured with the love of thine own special interest and advan- 
tage. — A Kempis. 



260 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Prayers are but the body of the bird ; desires are its angel's 
wings. — Taylor. 

What is the Almighty, saith the wicked, that we should 
serve him ? and what profit should we have if we pray unto 
him ? 

From the few hours we spend in prayer and the exercises 
of a pious life the return is great and profitable ; and what 
we sow in the minutes and spare portions of a few years, 
grows up to crowns and sceptres in a happy and glorious eter- 
nity. — Taylor. 

The heart without the tongue may pierce the ears of heaven, 
the tongue without the heart speaks an unknown language. 
Rather speak three words in a speech that God knows, than 
pray three hours in a language that he understands not. — - 
Warwick. 

Pray without ceasing; not in mere words, but in so living 
united to God, in your affections and thoughts, that your life 
shall be one long and continued prayer. — St. Basil. 



Morning. 

OTHOU who art our life and the length of our 
days, may we at all times set thee before us in 
everything we design, do, or undertake. In every 
period of our life we would avail ourselves of those 
opportunities which are suited to enlarge our con- 
ceptions of thee, and to acquaint us with our whole 
duty to thee, to show us our dependence, to correct 
our wrong inclinations, to guard us against false and 
criminal suggestions, and to confirm us in all good- 



PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. 261 

principles and habits. In whatever employments 
we may engage, or into whatever relations we may- 
enter, O keep thou us constantly aware of thy pres- 
ence, and mindful that this is but a preparatory 
scene, and that our preparation for another life will 
consist in the proper discharge of the duties of the 
present. 

Thou, O God, art full of truth, purity, holiness, 
and love ! Pour down these great gifts continually, 
we pray thee, upon us. Shed upon us every hour 
of our lives thy renewing and sanctifying power, 
that our minds may be lifted toward thee while our 
hands are occupied with life's tasks. Let our hearts 
be so filled with the love of thy law, that we shall 
hate all vain thoughts, and shun whatever would 
lead us to wander from thy commandments. Be 
thou our hiding-place in danger, and our shield 
against the subtlety and evil influence of others, 
that they may never, by their persuasions or ex- 
ample, ensnare our souls. We implore thee to be 
our strength and our stay, that we may always walk 
with the wise and the pure, and find our delight in 
being with them that love thee. 

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, help us 
to be one with him as he is one with thee, that we 
may enjoy, like him, the sweet consciousness that 
thou hearest us always. We ask for an ever firm 
faith in all the truths thou didst send him to teach. 
May we daily hear thy voice remind us through him 



262 ALTAR AT HOME. 

of the glorious life which is to come. In our lonely 
hours, may we learn of him to feel that we are not 
alone, for the Father is with us. Amid our cares 
and engagements, may we realize that we shall be 
in nothing profited, if we gain the world and lose 
our own souls. In our amusements and pleasures 
we would hear him bidding us look to thee lest our 
hearts be drawn off from duty and heaven. When 
trouble and sorrow come upon us, may we not be 
cast down, but turn to thee, and find the consolation 
we need. So may we live, that all our thoughts 
shall be ordered as before thee, and thou be the joy 
of our joys and the peace of our griefs. May we 
rest calmly in thine hands under all the checkered 
scenes of this world, and gaze steadfastly toward that 
kingdom without beginning and without end. Hear 
us, we beseech thee, through Christ our Redeemer. 
Amen. 

EVENING. 

OUR Heavenly Father! thou blessed Spirit in 
whom we live and move and have our being ! 
we come to thee at the close of another day and 
seek thy blessing. The night is falling on the weary 
world, and a holy calm, a religious repose, seems to 
fill the twilight, and whisper to our souls of thy near- 
ness and love. O Father, at this quiet, thoughtful 
hour, may our hearts be filled with that peace which 
the world cannot give nor take away. May we be 



PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. 263 

grateful for the blessings of this day, for health and 
home and friends ; or even for the discipline of sor- 
row, pain, and disappointment ; for all things through 
which we are called back from our wanderings and 
drawn nearer to our better selves and to thee. We 
are penitent of our sins ; we feel oppressed and dis- 
couraged to think how we forget thee day after day ; 
we do aspire and pray for a better and more success- 
ful life than that which we now live. O we bless 
thee that thou art so patient with us ! That thy 
spirit is not grieved away by all our failures and sins. 
Infinite pity, patience, love, darkness, and sadness 
gather on our souls as we think of our unworthiness, 
and we fly for shelter under the shadow of thy wing. 
May faith and hope shine upon our darkness as the 
stars are shining on this night ! In our weakness may 
we find strength, in our darkness may we find light ; 
in our ignorance may we find knowledge in thee. 
Guard our slumbers when we lie down to sleep > 
May thoughts of heaven visit us even in our dreams, 
that we may meditate upon thee in the night-watch- 
es. Be with all who are dear to us this night. Save 
them from dangers seen and unseen ; may we feel 
ourselves united in thee, however widely we are sep- 
arated in all earthly relations. Forgive our sins, 
and purify our souls, that we may see thee and love 
thee and feel thy helpful presence ever near in our 
weakness ; and to thy name shall be all the glory 
and honor for ever and ever. Amen. 



264 ALTAR AT HOME. 

LXIII. 
FEAR GOD. 

Great God ! how infinite art thou I 

How frail and weak are we ! 

Let the whole race of creatures bow, 

And homage pay to thee. 

Watts. 

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord ; that delighteth 
greatly in his commandments. 

In the faithful soul the fear of the Lord consists entirely in 
love ; and the principal duty of that love is to obey his com- 
mandments and believe his promises. — St. Hilary. 

The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those 
that hope in his mercy. 

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. 

The fear of the Lord prolongeth days ; but the years of the 
wicked shall be cut off. 

In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence ; and his chil- 
dren shall have a place of refuge. 

They that feared the Lord spake often one to another ; and 
the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance 
was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and 
that thought upon his name. 

And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day 
when I make up my jewels. 

What man is he that feareth the Lord ? him shall he teach 
in the way that he shall choose. 



FEAR GOD. 265 

His soul shall dwell at ease ; and his seed shall inherit the 
earth. 

The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him ; and he 
will show them his covenant. 

Who fears God will find himself elevated above the terrors 
and menaces of this world, — they are for him only vain phan- 
toms, which he despises, and speedily disperses. — St. Ephraim. 

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth 
greatly in his commandments. 

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter : Fear God, 
and keep his commandments ; for this is the whole duty of 
man. 

For the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlast- 
ing upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto chil- 
dren's children. 

Morning. 

WE adore thee, O Lord, for we are fearfully 
and wonderfully made, fearfully and won- 
derfully preserved. Thou compassest our path and 
our lying down and art acquainted with all our 
ways. As the sun this morning again darts his 
searching ray from one end of the heavens to the 
other, and makes visible the things which had been 
hidden in darkness, so does the eye of thy holy Son 
search our consciences and all the windings of our 
hearts. For there is not a thought or a desire there, 
but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. If 
thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, who should 
12 



266 ALTAR AT HOME. 

stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that 
thou mayest be feared. May thy goodness, thy 
holiness, thy greatness, conspire to make us afraid to 
sin against thy pure spirit, against the nature in 
which thou hast made us, against the sacred rela- 
tions in which thou hast bound us to thy family on 
earth. May we be afraid of the sin of hiding in the 
earth the talent thou hast intrusted to us ; may we 
dread the shadow of a stain upon our souls. Cleanse 
us, O God, from every secret fault. May our filial 
fear of thee swallow up all other fear. May we be 
piously afraid to let the fear of the world deter us 
from the straight path of childlike and Christian 
simplicity, may we this day do justly, love mercy 
and walk humbly with thee, our God. Create in 
us, O God, a clean heart, renew a right spirit with- 
in us ; if there be any wicked way in us, forgive 
and correct it, and lead us in the way everlasting, 
through Christ. Amen. 

EVENING. 

OGOD, thou infinite one, who dwellest among 
the sanctities of heaven and in the midst of 
thy matchless perfections, whom no eye hath seen, 
whose greatness no human mind can compass, and 
whose love no human heart can fathom, all honor 
and reverence and answering affection be rendered 
unto thee. In the silence and solemnity of the 



FEAR GOD. 267 

evening hour we come once more, the members of 
this Christian family, to the place of our refuge, our 
endeared family altar. 

And Holy Father, how can we come before thee 
but to put our hands on our mouths and our mouths 
in the dust ? Another day is gone, with its precious 
hours of light in which to walk, with its vast oppor- 
tunities of usefulness and means of improvement, 
with trusts that cannot be measured and burdens of 
responsibility and demands of duty that cannot be 
weighed ; and when in the quiet of our meditations 
we take council with ourselves, and reflect upon the 
magnitude of thy gifts and the poorness of our ser- 
vices, how can we stand before thee but with added 
shame and humiliation ? Thou hast prolonged the 
lives which our consciences tell us have been all too 
meanly devoted, and spared the blessings which we 
have but too freely abused. Thou hast said to us, 
" My son, give me thy heart," and, lo, we have too 
seldom had thee in all our thoughts. Thou hast 
said to us, " Go work in my vineyard," and behold, 
we have been idle and slothful, while the fields have 
been white for the harvest. We feel that we have 
not been eyes to the blind, garments to the naked, 
and feet to the weary, as we should have been. In 
the multitude of our wayward thoughts and earth- 
born cares, we have failed and fallen short in our 
duty to thee. We come, therefore, not to justify 
ourselves, but to ask pardon of thee. Lift, O God, 



268 ALTAR AT HOME. 

the burden of our conscious deficiency. Have 
mercy upon us, and blot our sins from the book of 
thy remembrance. 

For what are we that we should a single moment 
be forgetful of thee, and transgress thy most right- 
eous laws ? Our constant Preserver and most boun- 
tiful Benefactor, thou mayest justly claim our entire 
service. Former of our bodies, Father of our 
spirits, and Disposer of our lot, help us ever to stand 
in awe, and sin not ; and as we shall meditate upon 
thee on our beds, let us feel more of thy pervad- 
ing presence and thine incomprehensible greatness. 
From our own mean estate we turn our eyes up- 
wards ; we gaze into the mysterious depth, — on the 
boundless expanse of these heavens, the moon walk- 
ing in her brightness, and the stars holding their si- 
lent watch, — on thyself more wondrous still, guid- 
ing worlds on worlds through eternity ; and we are 
utterly overwhelmed by the grandeur of our con- 
templations. What is man, that thou art mindful 
of him, or the Son of man, that thou shouldest visit 
him ! 

We lay our hearts lowly before thee. We ask 
for thy tender pity, and the watch of thine unslum- 
bering eye, and the shelter of thy protecting wing. 
Amen. 



THY WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS. 269 

LXIV. 
THY WATS ARE NOT OUR WATS. 

Thy ways, Lord, with wise design, 

Are framed upon thy throne above, 

And every dark or bending line 

Meets in the centre of thy love. 

Anonymous. 

Beware thou dispute not of nigh matters, nor of the secret 
judgments of God, why this man is so left, and that man 
taken into such great favor ; why also one is so grievously af- 
flicted, and another so eminently exalted. — A Kempis. 

These things are beyond all reach of man's faculties, neither 
is it in the power of any reason or disputation to search out 
the judgments of God. — A Kempis. 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your 
ways my ways, saith the Lord. 

For as the heaven is higher than the earth, so are my ways 
higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your 
thoughts. The wisdom of men is foolishness with God. 

The ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in 
them ; but the transgressors shall fall therein. 

Canst thou by searching find out God ? canst thou find out 
the Almighty to perfection ? 

Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the ever- 
lasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, 
fainteth not, neither is weary ? There is no searching of his 
understanding. 



270 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Where is the wise ? where is the scribe ? where is the dis- 
puter of this world ? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of 
this world ? 

Faith is required at thy hands, and a sincere life ; not height 
of understanding, nor the depth of the mysteries of God. — 
A Kempis. 

Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness ; and from 
the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. 

For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause 
every man to find according to his ways. 

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the 
knowledge of God ! How unsearchable are his judgments, 
and his ways past finding out. 

For of him, and through him, and to him are all things ; to 
whom be glory forever. 



Morning. 

ALMIGHTY God, it is through thy tender care 
that we have been spared to see this day. 
Gratefully we would dwell upon the thought of thy 
constant presence. 

We rejoice to feel that thou art about our path, 
and art acquainted with all our ways. That thou, 
who didst create us, art ever watching over us ; and 
that thou, who knowest the avenues to our hearts, 
art always gently approaching and breathing over 
us the influences of thy spirit. Confirm our faith 
in thee and thy providences. 



THY WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS. 271 

Be with us, we beseech thee, now, when, refreshed 
by the interval of rest from our daily cares, we go 
forth to them anew. 

Thou knowest, O God, the temptations we are to 
meet. Thou knowest how hard it is to keep always 
mindful of what is right ; how our thoughts fasten 
on earthly things, while the clouds of passion shut 
out from us the light of heavenly truth ; how the 
passing allurements of the world smother the higher 
yearnings of the soul. 

We would not go out without the guidance and 
support of thy helping spirit. We pray thee that 
we may receive that strength which is not our 
own, which alone can make us strong against the 
evil to which we shall be exposed. 

Bless us in all our worthy pursuits. Hallow all 
our enjoyments. Sanctify all the experiences we 
may be called to meet. We joyfully submit our- 
selves to thy guidance, certain of thy love and care 
for us. Lead us in thy truth, and teach us, O thou 
God of our salvation. Guide us by thy counsel, 
and finally receive us into glory. We ask it, for 
Christ's sake. Amen. 

Evening. 

OTHOU all-wise and all-merciful One, the 
ways are past finding out ; thy purposes of 
grace are infinitely beyond our finite thought. We 



272 ALTAR AT HOME. 

would banish every fear and doubt, while we adore 
thy sovereign wisdom. At the close of every day 
we would resign ourselves to thy fatherly hand. 
Amidst all the mysteries of life, we would rest upon 
thy infinite love. How graciously hast thou always 
guided our wayward steps. As we look back over 
our lives, light breaks out of darkness, and we see 
that thou wert teaching us while we knew it not, 
and blessing us through our disappointments and 
our griefs, and looking upon us under the shadows 
of every cloud, with thine eye of love. 

Infinite Father, we know not whether to give 
thee greater thanks for adversity or prosperity, for 
grief or joy, since every dispensation is another 
revelation of the same incomprehensible mercy. 
But we do bless thee that thou overrulest our steps, 
and dost not leave us to our shortsightedness and 
folly. We bless thee for thy rebukes to our passion 
and our pride, for all the chastisements of thy lov- 
ing hand. We would adore and give thanks where 
we cannot see, and ask not for what we may fool- 
ishly wish, but for strength according to our day. 

Holy Father, inspired by such thoughts as these, 
may we find grace always to yield ourselves to thy 
sovereign guidance with a cheerful and childlike 
trust. May we be ready to follow wherever thou 
shalt lead, and to take up every cross which thou 
shalt ordain. Teach us, in the spirit of thy dear 
Son, to say, not our will, but thine be done. Help 



SELF-DENIAL. 273 

us to wait patiently for the unfoldings of thy will, 
for the perfect revelation of the mysteries of thy 
perfect love. May we feel it to be enough for us 
now to know that we can never be alone in the 
darkest hour, because thou art always with us still. 
And so may we find thy acceptance now, and thy 
acceptance forever in that world in which faith will 
give place to sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen, 



LXV. 
SELF-DENIAL. 

Our flesh and sense must he denied, 

Passion and envy, lust and pride, 

While justice, temperance, truth, and love 

Our inward piety approve. 

Watts. 

Go not after thy lusts, but refrain thyself from thine appe- 
tites. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the 
desires of thine heart. 

Jesus said, If a man will come after me, let him deny him- 
self, and take up his cross and follow me. 

He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man. 

He that resisteth pleasure, crowneth his life. 

He that keepeth himself subject, in such sort that his sen- 
sual affections be obedient to reason, and his reason in all 
12* B 



274 ALTAR AT HOME. 

things obedient to God, that person is truly conqueror of him- 
self, and lord of the world. — A Kempis. 

When thou degradest thyself by low affections, thou puttest 
thyself on a level, in thy inclinations, with irrational beasts ; 
thy soul assumes their likeness. Thou art called to nobler 
destinies ; seek, then, the Most High, seek Jesus Christ, ele- 
vate thy thoughts to heaven. — St. Basil. 

I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good 
thing ; for to will is present with me ; but how to perform 
that which is good I find not. 

For the good that I would, I do not ; but the evil which I 
would not, that I do. 

Wouldest thou that thy flesh obey thy spirit ? then let thy 
spirit obey thy God. Thou must be governed, that thou 
may est govern. — St. Augustine. 

Crucify the man of sin boldly, resolutely, instantly ; but 
crucify him with the cross of Christ, in which is life and sal- 
vation. — St. Bernard. 

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared 
to all men. 

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, 
we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present 
world ; 

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing 
of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. 



Morning. 

FATHER of light and love ! We adore thy 
majesty, we acknowledge thy perfections, we 



SELF-DENIAL. 275 

rejoice in thy goodness. We thank thee for our 
existence, and that we find our lives continued and 
renewed unto us at the opening of this new day. 
May we cheerfully take upon us the yoke of duty, 
and may we trust in thee for strength to meet all 
our responsibilities. Teach us the right use of our 
powers ; may we not profanely squander our strength 
upon unworthy objects. Help us to resist tempta- 
tion, and to overcome the lust of the flesh, the lust 
of the eye, and the pride of life. Deliver us from 
all low and gross desires, which prevent our hunger- 
ing and thirsting after spiritual and heavenly things. 
Anoint our eyes, that we may see the sacredness of 
all things around us and within us, and sanctify our 
hearts, that we may enjoy thee in the midst of thy 
common blessings. Make us strong in the Lord, 
that we may be masters of ourselves and rule well 
our own spirits. Through all the excitements and 
allurements, the cares and activities of the day, may 
thy peace be in our hearts. May we do justly, love 
mercy, walk humbly with thee, and keep ourselves 
unspotted from the world. 

Father, thy will be done on earth as it is in heav- 
en. May the right everywhere triumph over the 
wrong. May our own dear country become a land 
of righteousness and freedom and peace. May the 
light of thy Gospel shine in all the nations, and 
may the kingdoms of this world become the king- 
dom of our Lord and his Christ. Amen. 



276 ALTAR AT HOME. 

EVENING. 

MOST merciful God ! Again, at the close of 
the day, we gather about the family altar, to 
unite in our evening devotions. We thank thee, 
our Father, for thy protection over us during the 
day, for the blessings which have followed us at 
every step, for the comforts of our lot, for friends 
and home. But we lament that too often these 
very gifts of thy bounty have been the means of 
drawing our thoughts from thee. Immersed in en- 
joyment of the gifts, we have forgotten the Giver, 
and so have neglected that active service due to 
thee, our Maker and Preserver. 

And not only have we omitted those things which 
we ought to have done, but we have done those 
things which we ought not to have done. We have 
yielded to temptation, and fallen into sin. For this, 
O God, pity and forgive us ; and do thou, we be- 
seech thee, so impress thine image on our hearts, 
so take possession of our wills, so attach us to 
thee by the cords of love, that we may henceforth 
spurn and reject all pleasures of sense which can 
in any way offend thee, or defile us, or impose 
even a shadow of separation between our hearts 
and thee. 

May we be strong to resist temptation ; able and 
willing, — yea, rejoicing to take up and bear any 
cross appointed us in thine infinite wisdom. 



SIMPLICITY AND GODLY SINCERITY. 2 



I i 



Be with us this night, and leave us not on the 
morrow. Take up thine abode in our hearts, and 
drive thence every evil thought, in Christ's name 
we pray. Amen. 



LXVI. 

SIMPLICITY AND GODLY SINCERITY. 

Lord, that I may learn of thee, 

Give me true simplicity ; 

Wean my soul, and keep it low, 

Willing thee alone to know. 

Methodist Col. 

By two wings a man is lifted up from things earthly, — by 
Simplicity and Purity. — A Kempis. 

Let this be thy whole endeavor, this thy prayer, this thy 
desire : that thou mayest be stript of all selfishness, and with 
entire simplicity follow Jesus only. — A Kempis. 

No man can serve two masters. 

I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve 
through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from 
the simplicity that is in Christ. 

Will it not please God, that we should surrender our souls 
to him, without fear or reserve ? This deliverance of the 
soul from all useless and selfish and unquiet cares brings to 
it a peace and freedom that are unspeakable; this is true 
simplicity. — Fenelon. 



278 ALTAR AT HOME. 

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, 
that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, 
but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in 
the world. 

If there be a joy in the world, surely a man of a pure heart 
possesseth it. — A Kempis. 

It is a blessed simplicity when a man leaves the difficult 
ways of questions and disputings, and goes on forward in the 
plain and firm path of God's commandments. — A Kempis. 

God walketh with the simple, revealeth himself to the hum- 
ble, giveth understanding to the little ones, openeth the sense 
to pure minds. — A Kempis. 

The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight them- 
selves in the abundance of peace. 

Christ teaches that only those who become again, as it were, 
little children, and by the simplicity of that age cut off the 
inordinate affections of vice, can enter the kingdom of heaven. 
— St. Hilary. 

Morning. 

BEING of infinite purity and truth, thou who 
d welles t in the heaven of heavens, yet deign- 
est also to make thy home in every humble and 
trusting heart, we come to thee in the dawning of 
this new day, to ask that thou wilt lift up the light 
of thy countenance upon our hearts, to guide us 
into the way of peace. As the day returns to glad- 
den the world, which it wakes to beauty and joy, 
so, we pray, let thy Sun of Righteousness shine upon 
our souls, that we may be awakened to a profound 



SIMPLICITY AND GODLY SINCERITY. 279 

consciousness of thy presence with us, and to a 
fresh consecration of ourselves to thy simple and 
sincere service. Let the remembrance of thy mer- 
cies, which every morning are renewed to us, sink 
deeply into our grateful hearts, and move us to give 
up our entire selves to that single-minded obedience 
of thee and devotion to thy will, in which alone we 
can find rest unto our souls. 

Thou knowest our every need. The words in 
which we frame our petitions unto thee, and the un- 
spoken prayers which breathe from our hearts, the 
crying of our natures unto thee for help, the voice 
of longing and need which we can utter to no 
human being, thou hearest and knowest all, and 
thou canst answer our prayers. We implore thee 
to shed abroad in our hearts the influences of thy 
holy spirit, to calm every troubled and unquiet 
thought. Lead us to love thee with an entire love. 
Draw us away from a too engrossing devotion to 
this world, and make us to estimate it at its true 
value, by showing us the unspeakable glory of those 
things which thou hast prepared for those who love 
thee. When the world attracts us strongly, and 
pleasure excludes thee from our thoughts, and our 
minds are set on things which perish, then, we 
pray, by whatever discipline thou wilt, purify us 
and recall us to thyself, and enlighten our souls, that 
we may look beyond what concerns only this mor- 
tal life, and humbly and devoutly may seek for the 



280 ALTAR AT HOME. 

help which cometh from thee. And by this inward 
preparation fit us to set forth in our outward walk 
among men the Gospel of Christ which we profess. 
Enable us to live consistent Christian lives, that we 
may be known to have been with Jesus and to have 
infused something of his spirit into our own hearts. 
Give us the grace to be faithful followers of him 
amid whatever trials and temptations may befall us, 
that none of such things may move us from a firm 
and abiding trust in thee ; so that finally we may be 
received to that heaven of purity and truth and 
love, for which this world is the preparation, re- 
vealed to us by thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

EVENING. 

OUR Father in heaven, who knowest how frail 
we are, and how great is the power of earthly 
allurements to captivate our thoughts and turn us 
away from our highest good, forgive our sins, and 
so endow us with thy spirit and thy grace, that in 
simplicity and godly sincerity we may have our con- 
versation in the world. Help us to give ourselves 
entirely to thee, that we may seek no other rule 
of fife but thy truth, that we may have no other 
ambition but to do thy will, and ask no higher 
pleasure than the joy of loving and serving thee. 
Let not the fear or the favor of man, or any infe- 
rior interest or passion, stand between our souls and 



LOVE TO MAN. 281 

thee. Forgive us if we have failed to live thus in 
accordance with thy will, and impress upon us, in 
all time to come, a sense of our perpetual obligation 
to thee. In thee, O God, is our trust. In thee is 
our life. Let us not be drawn away from thee, nor 
from the singleness of purpose and steadfastness of 
faith which become thy children. May He who is 
the Resurrection and the Life dwell m our hearts, 
and may we, rooted and grounded in love, be able to 
know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, 
and be filled with all the fulness of God. Through 
thy great mercy in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



LXVII. 
LOVE TO MAN. 



GooVs law demands one living faith, 
Not a gaunt crowd of lifeless creeds : 

Its warrant is a firm " God saith," — 
Its claim, not words, out loving deeds. 

C. A. Beiggs. 

Love one another with a pure heart fervently. 

Let love be without dissimulation. Be kindly affectioned 
to one another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one 
another. 

Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts 
what is above its strength, pleads no excuse of impossibility ; 



282 ALTAR AT HOME. 

for it thinks all things lawful for itself, and all things possible. 
— A Kempis. 

If a man say I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. 
For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how 
can he love God whom he hath not seen ? 

And this commandment have we from him, That he who 
loveth God, love his brother also. 

Love is active, sincere, affectionate, pleasant, and amiable ; 
courageous, patient, faithful, prudent, long-suffering, manly, 
and never seeking itself. — A Kempis. 

Let brotherly love continue. 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy 
neighbor and hate thy enemy : 

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that 
curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them 
which despitefully use you and persecute you. 

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye ? 
do not even the publicans so ? 

The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one 
toward another, and toward all men. 

Morning. 

OTHOU who dwellest in light inaccessible and 
full of glory, mortal eye hath not seen thee. 
With all our searching we cannot find thee out unto 
perfection. And yet how graciously hast thou re- 
vealed thyself to our hearts, so that our hearts can 
understand thee. Thou art our Father! Thou 
whose power is limitless, whose knowledge is bound- 



LOVE TO MAN. 283 

less, who art possessed of all tilings in thyself, — 
thou, the Infinite One, — hast encouraged us to know 
and worship and confide in thee, as a being of cease- 
less love and unwearied compassion. Thou num- 
berest the very hairs of our heads, and sendest the 
blessing of the sunshine and the rain upon all alike. 
Thou art no respecter of persons ; all are thy chil- 
dren. Help us to remember this, by a more faithful 
acknowledgment of the ties of the human brother- 
hood. Since he who loveth not his brother, whom 
he hath seen, cannot love God, whom he hath not 
seen, give us grace to be just, full of gentle chari- 
ties, and kindly affectioned towards our fellow-men, 
equally with ourselves unforgotten of thee, and the 
objects of thy beneficence. May we do unto others 
as we would that others should do unto us. May we 
forgive trespasses as we would have our trespasses 
forgiven. Save us from selfishness and hardness of 
heart. As we share the common lot, may we ac- 
knowledge the claims of a common humanity. In 
our day and generation may we be faithful to what- 
ever concerns the welfare of our race. Teach us 
rightly to serve our neighbor, that thus we may 
show forth our gratitude for thy paternal care. 
Let us not live to ourselves alone ; but let us five 
as members of thy human family, honoring every- 
where the nature which thou hast made in thine 
own image. May we live the disciples of Him who 
hath said, " Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the 



284 ALTAR AT HOME. 

least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto 
me." Hear us, O Father, in this supplication for 
larger inspirations of love, and thine shall be the 
praise and the glory forever. Amen. 

EVENING. 

FATHER of infinite love and mercy, again we 
come to lay before thee a day that is past. 
We cannot recall it, but we know that in it we 
have left undone many duties, and have fallen into 
many sins, and that all these will rise up against 
us in judgment. O our Father, we cast the day 
as a seed into the ground, repenting over all our 
shortcomings, and trusting humbly in thy mercy, 
that, while its baser part shall perish, all in it that 
has been done to thy service shall spring up, and 
bear fruit an hundred-fold in the future. We thank 
and adore thee for the mercies with which thou 
hast this day crowned our lives, and we pray that 
we may be so filled with thy grace that we may 
thank and adore thee more and more through all 
our days on earth. To this end, O God, subdue 
within us the sinful inclinations of our hearts, and 
strengthen our unselfish aspirations to thee ; quell 
our rebellious passion and pride, and quicken our 
devout affections toward thee and all mankind. 
May the same mind be in us which was in Christ 
Jesus, — a mind filled with all devout and holy 



LOVE TO MAN. 285 

thoughts, with a sweet simplicity, content to do thy 
manifest will, with a sincerity spotless and pure in 
all the relations of life, with a spirit of perfect love. 
Open our spiritual vision, that we may see all men 
as they appear in thy sight, as the dear children of 
thy love and the brethren of our Lord and Master 
Jesus Christ. Help us to resist every inclination 
of our minds to regard the outward distinctions 
between man and man. Forgive us when we yield 
to prejudice or are influenced by pride to despise 
one of thy little ones. Inspire us with devotedness 
to thy service here below. Grant us thy aid, that 
we may not be wanting in any good word and 
work, which may help to bring thy children nearer 
to thee. 

We commend to thy loving care this night all 
who are in any sort of need. Comfort those who 
mourn. Support those who are sorely tried by 
anxiety, or doubt, or pain of body or of mind. 
Send thy light to illumine those who are in dark- 
ness, and to make the path of duty plain before 
them. 

As we He down to rest, we ask for thy protection. 
Refresh our mortal bodies with calm repose ; refresh 
our immortal souls with thy grace and thy peace. 
Prepare us by our days and nights, by our labor 
and our repose in this life, for the rest which re- 
maineth for thy people, in the light of thy presence 
which shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 



286 ALTAR AT HOME. 

Hear and accept our prayer, we beseech thee, in 
the name of Him who is the Life and the Light of 
men. Amen. 



LXVIII. 
TRUE GAIN. 



Sometimes, Lord, — at least in show, — 

A thankful heart we do profess, 
When thou such blessings dost bestow 

As outward riches, health, or peace ; 
But for that means which may conduce 

Our souls to their true bliss to raise 
We make not very frequent use 

Of thankful words or hymns of praise. 

Wither. 

There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing ; there 
is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. 

A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches 
of many wicked. 

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is 
that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. 

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and 
loving favor rather than silver and gold. 

Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues 
without right. 

Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth 
nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through 
nor steal. 



TRUE GAIN. 287 

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

If thou hide thy treasure upon the earth, how canst thou 
expect to find it in heaven ? — Quarles. 

Godliness is great riches, if a man be content with that he 
hath ; for we brought nothing into the world, neither may we 
carry anything out. 

What thou givest to God's glory and thy soul's health is 
laid up in heaven, that only is thine. — Quarles. 

Paul desires to know nothing but Christ, and Christ cruci- 
fied. In this knowledge we possess more than all the sciences 
and all the riches of the earth can offer us. — St. Hilary. 

Morning. 

MERCIFUL and Mighty Being ! Thou art the 
perfect and the eternal One ! Thon art the 
Lord and Giver of life ! Thou art our Father in 
heaven ! We own, with thankful hearts, thy provi- 
dential care, and we would begin this day by a re- 
newed consecration of all we are, and of all we have, 
to thy delightful and reasonable service. O may the 
Sun of Righteousness arise upon us with healing in 
Ins beams ! May we see the light of thy truth, and 
feel the warmth of thy love ! Quicken within us 
all holy desires, strengthen within us all virtuous 
purposes. Forgive the sins that are past ; and help 
us to profit by our own mistakes, and to be in- 
structed by our own follies. Thou knowest how 
frail we are, and how short is our time on earth. 
O teach us so to number our days that we may 



288 ALTAR AT HOME. 

apply our hearts to the lessons of heavenly wisdom. 
May we do with our might what our hands find to 
do, redeeming the passing hours by cheerful dili- 
gence, and services of love to thee and to our fel- 
low-men. May we not set our hearts too strongly 
on the things that perish ; may we not be too much 
lifted up by prosperity, nor too much cast down by 
adversity, knowing that the fashion of this world 
passeth away. O Lord, the issues of life and death 
are thine. Grant us a calm and steady faith in im- 
mortality ; and may we know ourselves partakers 
of thy life eternal, through the knowledge of thee 
and of Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. And 
when we are called away to the unseen world, O 
may we find ourselves reunited in the larger family 
of heaven, to share thy glory forevermore. Amen. 

Evening. 

HOLY Father, whose all-seeing eye has this day 
marked our words and deeds, and read our 
secret purposes and desires, forgive us, we pray 
thee, all that thou hast seen in us this day of evil. 
And now, before the account of the day is closed, 
help us, O Father, as we endeavor to judge our- 
selves, help us to repent of every sin ; and should 
we this night sleep the sleep that knows no earthly 
awakening, may we die at peace with God, and in 
charity with all our neighbors. But if thou hast 



TRUE GAIN. 289 

still in store for us days upon earth, help us hence- 
forth to avoid the sins of the past, and daily to grow 
in the knowledge of thy law, and in likeness to thy 
holy Son. Blessed be thy name, that thou hast, 
through him, clearly manifested thyself, and an- 
nounced to us the great laws of our life, that we 
should love thee, the Giver of every good gift, and 
that we should love our neighbors as ourselves. O 
Holy Father, write these laws upon our hearts. 
Create us anew, through Christ Jesus, in thine im- 
age. Help us to seek with all our hearts thy king- 
dom, assured that all needful things will be added 
thereto. Thou art love, fill us with that deep sense 
of thy mercy which shall awaken our love to thee. 
Fill us with that love of God that shall lead us to 
keep thy commandments, with that love of God 
which leads us to love all thy children. And fill us 
with that love of thy children which shall show 
itself in forgetfulness of ourselves, and in unselfish 
devotion to others' service. O Father, fill us with 
that perfect love which filled our Lord's heart, and 
led him to labor and to suffer and to die in behalf 
of men, and may we honor him by walking in his 
steps, going about doing good, serving those whom 
he deigned to call his brethren. And may the 
blessing which he invoked upon all who believed on 
him through his Apostle's word descend upon us, 
and at length upon all mankind, and the world be 
thus filled with thy glory. Amen. 

13 s 



Special Services. 



Special Services 



i. 

SUNDAY MORNING. 

Now the shades of night are gone ; 
Now the morning light is come ; 
Lord, may we be thine to-day, 
Drive the shades of sin away. 

Fill our souls with heavenly light, 
Banish doubt, and clear our sight; 
In thy service, Lord, to-day, 
May we stand and watch and pray. 

Episcopal Coll. 

Thou, Lord, gavest thy people judgment, and true laws, 
good statutes and commandments: and madest known unto 
them thy holy Sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, stat- 
utes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant. 

Thus saith the Lord, Unto them that keep my Sabbaths, 
and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my 
covenant ; 

Even unto them will I give, in mine house and within my 
walls, a place and a name better than of sons and of daugh- 
ters : I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be 
cut off. 



294 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

The same sun arises on this day, and enlightens it ; yet be- 
cause that Sun of Righteousness arose upon it, and gave a 
new life unto the ■world in it, and drew the strength of God's 
moral precept unto it, therefore justly do we sing, with the 
Psalmist, This is the day which the Lord hath made. — Bishop 
Hall. 

Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, 
with reverence and godly fear. 

God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him 
in spirit and in truth. 

O come, let us sing unto the Lord : let us make a joyful 
noise to the Rock of our salvation. 

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and 
make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all 
gods. 

O come, let us worship and bow down : let us kneel before 
the Lord our Maker. 

For he is our God ; and we are the people of his pasture, 
the sheep of his hand. 

To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 



OTHOU who in the beginning didst cause the 
light to shine out of darkness, pour into our 
hearts, with this morning sunlight, the radiance of 
that revelation which maketh all things new. Thy 
mercies are new every morning ; may our faith and 
hope and charity be renewed to-day. Make us new 



SUNDAY MORNING. 295 

creatures in Christ. This is life eternal, to know 
thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom 
thou hast sent. May we learn this day so to know 
him, and the power of his resurrection, that we shall 
rise from the bonds of the flesh and the deadness of 
custom into the life and liberty of the children of 
God. 

God of peace, enable us to return unto our rest 
this day by waiting on thee without distraction, in 
the hearty and harmonious devotion of all our facul- 
ties and affections to thy service, which is perfect 
freedom. Guard us from seeking our Sabbath in 
indolence, which is not our rest. Quicken us to 
arise and depart out of the very thought of so wor- 
shipping thee acceptably, and in the active life of 
self-discipline, piety, and mercy to honor and use 
this day in a manner worthy of the Son of man, 
and grateful to the Father of men. 

May we walk in the light of that life and immor- 
tality which thy Gospel has opened to the world. 
May we live above the world, raised by faith to that 
mountain of the Lord's house, where memory and 
hope meet and witness to the soul of possessions and 
pleasures that know no change of time. 

May the Sun of Righteousness rise higher and 
higher over the world, and stretch his healing 
wings more and more around the hearts and homes 
and nations of men. Soon may all the families 
and all the tribes of the earth make one great 



296 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

family in the kingdom of thy Son. May our be- 
loved land soon become his inheritance, and our 
people that holy and happy people whose God is 
the Lord. May thy kingdom come on earth, and 
hasten thou the day when every house shall be a 
house of God, and every day a Sabbath, and all 
the thoughts of every heart shall give glory to 
Him who sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb 
for ever and ever. Amen. 



II. 
SUNDAT MORNING. 

Blest day of God ! most calm, most bright, 

The first and best of days ; 

The laborer's rest, the saint's delight, 

The day of prayer and praise. 

Codman's Coll. 

Prayer, meditation, reading, hearing, preaching, singing, 
good conference, are the businesses of this day, which I dare 
not bestow on any work or pleasure, but heavenly. — Bishop 
Hall. 

When ye hear the Word of God, surrender yourselves 
wholly to it, as if for eternity, with a full purpose of will to 
retain it in your mind, and to order your life according to it. 
— Tauler. 

Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that 
is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. 



SUNDAY MORNING. 297 

But to do good and communicate forget not, for with such 
sacrifices God is well pleased. 

I am the Lord your God ; walk in my statutes and keep 
my judgments, and do them ; 

And hallow my Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign be- 
tween me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord 
your God. 

It is better to plough on holy days than to do nothing, or to 
do viciously : but let them be spent in the works of the day, 
that is, in religion and charity. — Taylor. 

Deliver us, gracious God, from being weary of thy Sabbaths, 
which are ordained to preserve in our hearts the knowledge 
of thee, and of thy Son Jesus Christ. — Wilson. 

O that we may desire and rejoice in the return of this day, 
and serve thee faithfully on it; and that we may enjoy an 
everlasting Sabbath with thy saints for Jesus Christ's sake. — 
Wilson. 

Serve the Lord with gladness : come before his presence 
with singing. 

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts 
with praise : be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 

For the Lord is good ; his mercy is everlasting ; and his 
truth endureth to all generations. 



ETERNAL Spirit of Truth, with reverential 
thoughts and grateful emotions we bow before 
thee and invoke thy favor. Be pleased to accept 
our thanks for the continuance of thy loving-kind- 
ness to us through another week. We joyfully hail 

13* 



298 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

the return of the day set apart by thy providence 
for the rest of the weary, for the culture of heav- 
enly good, for the communion of the soul with its 
inheritance in the skies. May we rightfully im- 
prove the precious opportunities of the time. As- 
sist us, Lord, to turn away from vanity, lust, and 
care, and fix our attention on truth, virtue, and 
faith, realities of solid and everlasting import. Send 
thy blessing this day on all ministers of the Gospel 
and on their congregations. Let thy gracious pres- 
ence brood over them to make their meditations 
holy, their worship fervent, their vows effectual, 
that the kingdom of Christ may be advanced among 
men. We breathe this prayer as humble disciples 
of thy Son. O answer us graciously, and thine 
shall be all the praise. Amen. 



SUNDAY MORNING. 299 

III. 
SUNDAT MORNING. 

Sleep, sleep to-day, tormenting cares, 

Of earth and folly born ! 
Ye shall not dim the light that streams 

From this celestial morn. 

To-morrow will be time enough 

To feel your harsh control ; 
Ye shall not violate this day, 

The Sabbath of the soul. 

Mrs. Barbauld. 

Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but the 
6eventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. 

O that we may desire and rejoice in the return of this day, 
and serve thee faithfully on it ; that we may enjoy an ever- 
lasting Sabbath with thy Saints. — Wilson. 

Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from pol- 
luting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 

If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing 
thy pleasure on my holy day ; and call the Sabbath a delight, 
the holy of the Lord, honorable ; 

And shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding 
thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words ; 

Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, for the mouth 
of the Lord hath spoken it. 

And it shall come to pass, that from one Sabbath to anoth- 
er shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. 



300 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name ; worship 
the Lord in the beauty of holiness- 
Be of a ready heart and mind, free from worldly cares and 
thoughts, diligent to hear, careful to mark, studious to remem- 
ber, and desirous to practise all that is commanded, and live 
according to it : 

Do not hear for any other end but to become better in your 
life, and to be instructed in every good work, and to increase 
in the love and service of God. — Taylor. 

Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines : for 
it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace. 



OGOD, thou high and holy one ! With rever- 
ence and gladness and humble love would we 
unite in thy worship on this hallowed morning. In 
the spirit of thanksgiving for all thy past mercies 
would we say, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us ! 
In tranquil trust would we pray that thou wilt still 
be our God and guide. With penitent hearts 
would we ask the pardon of our sins, and grace 
to reform our lives. O breathe upon us the Holy 
Spirit ! Renew within us a clean heart. May we 
to-day enter into the rest that remains for thy peo- 
ple, and enjoy a foretaste of heaven. May our own 
house be to us as the house of God ; and may our 
hearts be in tune to join thy public praises. 

Be graciously present in every worshipping as- 
sembly ; and may the Gospel message be proclaimed 



SUNDAY MORNING. 301 

in purity and power. Pity the careless and the 
prayerless. O send out thy light and thy truth, 
and bring thy straying children home to their 
Father's house. Visit with consoling grace the 
habitations of sorrow. Teach all mankind to love 
each other as brethren, and to put away the evils 
which afflict and desolate the earth. May the 
truths of Christ be welcomed by all people as glad 
tidings and laws of life. 

Father ! may our meditations of thee be sweet. 
May the repose and the instructions of this day 
strengthen us for the activities and trials of the 
week, so that all our days may be holy unto the 
Lord, and all our duties sacred as divine service, 
fitting us for the purer worship of the upper temple. 
And to thee be praise everlasting, for the riches 
of grace and glory bestowed on us through Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 



302 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

IV. 

SUNDJT EVENING. 

Glory to thee, my God, this night, 
For all the blessings of the light : 
Keep us, keep us, King of kings, 
Under thy own almighty wings ! 

Forgive us, Lord, through thy dear Son, 
The ill that we this day have done, 
That with the world, ourselves, and thee, 
We, ere we sleep, at peace may be. 

Bishop Ren. 

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, 
the Lord's name is to be praised. 

Ye that love the Lord, hate evil : he preserveth the souls of 
his saints ; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. 

The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil 
and the good. 

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord : 
but the prayer of the upright is his delight. 

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him 
while he is near. 

Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him. 

Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord 
your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath 
commanded thee. 

And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all 
these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath 
commanded us. 



SUNDAY EVENING. 303 

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my -words shall not 
pass away. 

Jesus said, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny 
himself, and take up his cross and follow me. 

Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, of 
him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the 
glory of his Father with the holy angels. 

Every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh 
to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 

But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds 
may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. 



WE love thee, O our God ; and we desire to 
love thee more and more. Grant to us that 
we may love thee as much as we desire, and as 
much as we ought. O love of God, ever burning 
and never extinguished, fire in the unconsuming 
bush, inflame, and preserve by inflaming, our hearts. 
May the tumult of the senses be silent, the fan- 
tasies of earth and air be still, and God alone be 
near to us now. 

O dearest Friend, who hast so loved and saved us, 
who art so vitalizing and uplifting us, the thought 
of whom is so sweet and always growing sweeter, 
come with Christ and dwell in our hearts ; then 
thou wilt keep a watch over our lips, our steps, 
our deeds, and we shall not need to be anxious 
either for our souls or our bodies. 



304 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

We have lived, O Lord of light, through another 
day of thy light. Jesus, our Master, has led us 
to-day, and we rest in quiet this evening, sitting at 
his feet, and hearing his words. 

Our souls, made in thine image, now feel thee 
dwelling in them. It is as a drop of water holding 
in it the image of the sun. Make it more luminous, 
that thine image in us may be seen by others. 

Give us love, sweetest of all gifts, which teaches 
and learns, and knows no enemy, — love which 
praises or blames, but never suspects or injures. 
Give us in our hearts pure love, born of thy love 
to us, that we may love others as thou lovest us. 
Give us love, never idle, never weary of well-doing, 
which never faints or turns or goes backward. 
Give us love, which flows out equally to old and 
young, poor and rich, wise and foolish, free and 
slave, black and white, sick and well, high and low, 
infidel and saint, good and bad, to the innocent 
child, and to the abandoned and corrupted sinner. 
O most loving Father of Jesus Christ, from whom 
floweth all love, let our hearts, frozen in sin, cold 
to thee and cold to others, be warmed by this divine 
fire. So help and bless us in thy Son. Amen. 



SUNDAY EVENING. 305 

V. 

SUNDAT EVENING. 

Fading, still fading, the last beam is shining ; 
Father in heaven ! the day is declining ; 
Safety and innocence flee with the light, 
Temptation and danger walk forth with the night; 
From the fall of the shade till the morning bells chime, 
Shield us from danger and keep us from crime ! 
Father I have mercy, through Christ Jesus our Lord ! 

Longfellow's Coll. 

At evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors 
were shut, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and saith unto 
them, Peace be unto you. 

Watch, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the 
spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 

Jesus said, They that are whole need not a physician ; but 
they that are sick. 

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after right- 
eousness, for they shall be filled. 

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings and 
doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like. 

He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, 
and laid the foundation on a rock ; 

And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon 
that house, and could not shake it : for it was founded upon a 
rock. 



306 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he 
it is that loveth me : and he that loveth me shall be loved 
of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself 
to him. 

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 

These things I command you, that ye love one another. 



OUR Father, we kneel before thee in these last 
moments of the first day, to thank thee for 
the pure, quiet rest of the Sabbath. For this one 
day, when we can sit down and be still, and know 
that thou art God, — can set our life afresh by thine 
everlasting truth, and wash ourselves from the dust 
and strife of the world, and be clean. We thank 
thee, that thou hast made the need for this day a part 
of our nature, and made the needful day a holy day 
by thy grace. 

We adore thee, that thou hast made it a day when 
thy children can go home from the school of the 
world, and be fresh and free for worship in the 
home, the church, or in the outer temple of nature, — 
for thoughts of thee, and of the dear ones who have 
gone from us to thy near presence in heaven. O 
forgive us if we have broken this good Sabbath by 
any hard thought or word or deed to men, or by 
any hard bondage to thee. And may the blessing 
of this day so blend with the repose of this night, 
as to make us in the new morning more true and 



SUNDAY EVENING. 307 

strong for all work of the week to come than we 
have ever been in the weeks that have gone. This 
in the spirit of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Brother. 
Amen. 



VI. 

SVNDAY EVENING. 

Is there a time when moments flow 
More lovelily than all beside ? 
It is, of all the times below, 
A Sabbath eve in summer tide. 

This day is the scripture fulfilled in your ears. 

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and 
with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 

And these words which I command thee this day shall be 
in thine heart : 

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and 
shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house. 

I will call upon God : evening and morning will I pray, 
and cry aloud : and he shall hear my voice. 

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, and the 
lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. 

Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little 
child, he shall not enter therein. 

Have faith in God. 

For there is one God, and there is none other but he : 



308 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

And to love him with all the heart, and with all the under- 
standing, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and 
to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt- 
offerings and sacrifices. 

Blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it. 

Jesus spake, saying, I am the light of the world : he that fol- 
loweth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light 
of life. 

If any man serve me, let him follow me ; and where I am, 
there shall also my servant be : for if any man serve me, him 
will my Father honor. 



OLORD our God, to whom the darkness and 
the light are both alike, hearken, we humbly 
beseech thee, to our evening prayer, as with lowly 
confidence we bow before thee in our domestic 
sanctuary. We give thee thanks, O God, for the 
blessed day, consecrated to religious meditation and 
Christian worship, whose shadows are now gathered 
around us. We thank thee for all the means of 
grace and aids to holiness which it brought unto us ; 
and we pray that thy spirit may seal our hearts with 
the sanctifying influences of its impressive associa- 
tions and holy rites, and cause the precious fruits 
thereof to appear in our lives. If we have heard 
thy word this day with the outward ear, grant, O 
Lord, that it may take effect inwardly in our hearts, 
purging them of all unrighteousness, confirming 
them in the right faith, quickening them with heav- 



SUNDAY EVENING. 309 

enly hopes, and filling them with comfort, peace, 
and gladness. But if we have failed to improve 
our opportunities, and have turned a deaf ear to the 
voice of Christian instruction, if we have neglected 
thy word and ordinances, if we have worshipped 
and served the creature more than the Creator, 
if we have consulted our ease and pleasure more 
than our spiritual health and edification, O God, 
remember not this sin against us, and take not thy 
Holy Spirit from us ; but mercifully forgive us and 
renew us again unto repentance, that hereafter, re- 
membering the day which thou hast made, we may 
worthily use it according to thy gracious purpose. 

Bless, O God, each member of this household, 
and so enlighten us with thy wisdom, and imbue us 
with the Spirit of Christ our Lord, that the out- 
going of each morning and the incoming of each 
evening may find us nearer to the gates of the 
New Jerusalem, and in closer fellowship with those 
who have passed from death unto life, and put on 
the robes of immortality. Shield us from all harm 
during the night-watches. Fold all who are dear to 
us in the arms of thy protecting care, and preserve 
their souls unto eternal life, through thine infinite 
mercy in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



310 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

VII. 

CHRISTMAS EVE. 

Bright was the guiding star that led, 

With mild, benignant ray, 
The Gentiles to the lowly shed 

Where the Redeemer lay. 

But lo ! a brighter, clearer light 

Now points to his abode : 
It shines through sin and sorrow's night, 

To guide us to our Lord. 

Spirit of the Psalms. 

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days of 
Herod the king, behold there came wise men from the east to 
Jerusalem, 

Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews ? for we 
have seen his star in the east. 

And'lo, the star which they saw in the east went before 
them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding 
in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the 
glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were 
sore afraid. 

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I 
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all 
people. 

For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Sav- 
iour, which is Christ the Lord. 






CHRISTMAS EVE. 311 

In this was manifested the love of God towards us, be- 
cause that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, 
that we might live through him. 

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved 
us. 

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one 
another. 

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. 

Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though 
he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through 
his poverty might be rich. 



ALMIGHTY God, our Father in heaven, Crea- 
tor of all worlds, thou dost make manifest thy 
power and wisdom and goodness most abundantly in 
the bestowal of life, and above all in the life of thy 
rational creatures, not only creatures of thine, but 
children, "We bless thee for all thy mercies to us 
and our race through birth. We rejoice that, much 
as we are commanded to labor and make the best 
use of our talents, thou dost enrich us from the very 
beginning in the endowments of our own nature, 
and the treasures of genius and grace that are born 
into the world from the fulness of thy light and 
love. This night, as we meditate upon the nativity 
of thy beloved Son, we bless thee for all thy chosen 
servants, patriarchs, law-givers, prophets, sages, 



312 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

bards, godly and gifted men and women, who, by 
birth as well as nature, were sent to prepare his 
way or speed his work. 

We give thee thanks for the mighty yearning of 
the human heart for the coming of a Saviour, and 
the constant promise of thy word that he was to 
come. In our own souls this night we repeat the 
humble sighs and panting aspirations of ancient 
men and ages, and own that our souls are in dark- 
ness and infirmity, without faith in Him who comes 
to bring God to man and man to God. We bless 
thee for the tribute that we can pay to him from 
our very sense of need and dependence, and that 
our own hearts can so answer from their wilderness 
the precursor's cry, " Prepare ye the way of the 
Lord." In us the rough places are to be made 
smooth, the crooked straight, the mountains of pride 
brought low, and the valleys of despondency lifted 
up. O God, prepare thou the way in us now, and 
may we welcome anew thy Holy Child. Hosanna ! 
blessed be he who cometh in the name of the 
Lord! 

We give thee thanks this night for our home- 
blessings, and especially for all birth-gifts to us and 
our children, through native talents and dispositions. 
We bless thee that thou hast still more largely en- 
dowed us than by our own nature, by making us 
heirs, — joint-heirs in the riches born into the world 
in Jesus Christ. We rejoice that in him we may 



CHRISTMAS EVE. 313 

be made whole, and that not only by his godly ex- 
ample and spotless life and sacrificial death, but also 
by his nativity, we are enriched and comforted. We 
ask for thy grace to help us understand and enjoy 
more deeply and truly the day of his birth, and to 
praise thee, not only for what he did for us by his 
work, but what thou didst for him and for us in his 
very being. O God, our Father in heaven, quicken 
within us the childlike spirit, that by more filial 
trust in thee we may enter into the life of thy be- 
loved Son, and learn how precious to us is that 
Divine Sonship that rebukes and corrects the frail- 
ties of our nature, and presents us in our accepted 
Head before thee as the children of heavenly adop- 
tion. 

We offer this, our prayer, in the name of thy 
holy child Jesus, and trusting in the fellowship of 
thy Holy Spirit. Amen, 



314 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

VIII. 
CHRISTMAS MORNING. 

Hail ! hail, auspicious morn ! 

The Saviour Christ is born! 
{Such was the immortal seraph's song sublime;) 

Glory to God in heaven ! 

On earth sweet peace be given, 
Sweet peace and friendship to the end of time ! 

Dr. Gardiner, from Milton. 

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that 
bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace ; that publisheth 
salvation ; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth. 

The Lord hath comforted his people. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but 
have everlasting life. 

All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our 
God. 

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will 
to men. 

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, 
hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge 
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. 

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that 
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom ; 
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns, 



CHRISTMAS MORNING. 315 

and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the 
Lord. 

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name 
of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by 
him. 

Whosoever would fully and feelingly understand the words 
of Christ, must endeavor to conform his life wholly to the life 
of Christ. — A Kempis. 

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so 
walk ye in him : 

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as 
ye have been taught, abounding therein, with thanksgiving. 

I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. 



OTHOU, who art the Source of all life ! with 
the coming of this morning we humbly ac- 
knowledge the chiefest expression of thy paternal 
tenderness. We bless thee for the incarnation of 
thy ceaseless love in Jesus Christ. We bless thee 
for his advent as the manifestation of thyself, thine 
unforgetful care and merciful purposes. In our 
darkness, thou hast sent us the light. In our igno- 
rance, thou hast given us the truth. In our fears, 
thou hast cheered us with the hope of immortality. 
For the birth of the Teacher of thy wisdom, for 
Him who has shown us the Father, we bring thee 
the sacrifice of thanksgiving. We rejoice in the 
Day-spring from on high. For the doings of the 



316 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

Word made flesh our praises ascend to thee, the 
Infinite Fountain of all blessedness ! We offer 
unto thee the tribute of gratitude for the glad 
tidings and for all their benignant influences. We 
recognize thy near and gracious providence in the 
introduction and spread of the Gospel, and in all 
that it has done for mankind ! To thee we owe 
the humane and fraternal spirit it has inculcated 
and cherished ; its promises of forgiveness to the 
penitent; its consolations for the afflicted; its rest 
for the weary and heavy-laden ; its promises of 
the better life to come ! Especially, O Thou who 
hast set the solitary in families, would we this day 
remember our indebtedness to thee, for the kindly 
sympathies, the mutual helpfulness, the sweet privi- 
leges, the near and endearing relations, which enrich 
the Christian home. For the Man of Sorrows, who 
was acquainted with grief and touched with a feel- 
ing of our infirmities ; for Him who took little 
children in his arms, and assured us that of such 
is the kingdom of heaven ; for the Friend who hath 
said, " Thy brother shall rise again " ; for Him who 
has thus sanctified and encouraged our purest 
affections, and lifted them above the conceptions 
of earth and the fear of the grave, — we render 
unto thee the praise of trustful hearts. Increase, 
we beseech, our faith in Jesus ; help us to be his 
obedient disciples, that we may be admitted to the 
mansions of his Father's house. And grant, O 



NEW YEAR'S EVE. 317 

God, that the purposes of the Saviour's mission 
may be fulfilled, till everywhere there shall be Glo- 
ry to thee in the highest, peace on earth, and 
good- will toward men. Amen. 



IX. 

NEW TEAR'S EVE. 

God! to thee our hearts would pay 

Their gratitude sincere. 
Whose love hath kept us, night and day, 

Throughout another year. 

For joy and grief alike we pay 

Our thanks to thee above ; 

And only pray to grow each day 

More worthy of thy love. 

Gaskell. 

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, be- 
cause his compassions fail not. 

They are new every morning. 

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness. 

The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul 
that seeketh him. 

Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the 
heavens. 

Behold God is great; we know him not, neither can the 
number of his years be searched out. 



318 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence 
I shall not return. 

The days of our years are threescore years and ten ; and 
if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their 
strength labor and sorrow ; for it is soon cut ofF, and we fly 
away. 

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our 
hearts unto wisdom. 

O satisfy our souls with thy mercy, that we may rejoice 
and be glad all our days. 

We are strangers and sojourners, as were all our fathers ; 
our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none 
abiding. 

Who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days 
of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow. 

This very instability of human things, O God, is in the 
perfections of thy decrees, that by it we may be compelled 
to seek after solid and unchangeable good. — St. Gregory. 

Thou art my hope, O Lord God, thou art my trust. 

Blessed be the Lord, for he hath showed me his marvellous 
kindness. 



EVER-KIND, ever-loving, but ever-holy God, 
how can we render unto thee fit thanks for 
thine unmeasured mercy, how acknowledge with 
due humility our un worthiness and sin ! At every 
station upon our journey of life, as we pause and 
look over the past, we see the crowded tokens of 
thy loving-kindness, thy tender care, thy watchfiil 
providence, and we recall also abundant memories 



NEW YEAR'S EVE. 319 

of our errors, our short-comings, and our transgres- 
sions. We would, O Father, return thee thanks 
for all that we have hitherto enjoyed, and for e very- 
opportunity which thou hast granted us for becom- 
ing or for doing good. For the supply of our daily 
needs, and for all that thou hast added of the com- 
forts and joys of life, for all that has charmed the 
eye and the ear, for the treasures of knowledge and 
wisdom, for the affections that bind us together, and 
for the hope given through our Lord Jesus, that 
those who love him and love each other shall have 
eternal communion and fellowship with each other 
and with him ; for these, and for every other gift of 
thy providence and of thy grace, we would give 
thee thanks, and we pray thee that thy good spirit 
may help us show our gratitude by obedience to thy 
commands. 

Holy Father, forgive us the sins of the past, and 
if thou dost allow us to see, still longer, days upon 
earth, help us to spend them in thy service. May 
the year that is coming find us watchful to learn 
what is thy will, and to keep thy commandments. 
Help us to be helpers of each other in all that is 
good, and to be helpers of all men as we have 
opportunity ; and if thou shouldst spare us to see 
many years upon earth, may each one find us more 
watchful over ourselves, more resigned to thy will, 
more zealous in thy service, more observant of 
opportunities to do good. Amen. 



320 SPECIAL SERVICES. 



NEW TEAR'S DAT. 

Spared to see another year, 
Let thy blessing meet us here ; 
Come, thy dying work revive, 
Bid thy drooping garden thrive ; 
Sun of righteousness, arise ! 
Warm our hearts, and bless our eyes ; 
Let our prayer thy mercy move, 
Make this year a time of love. 

Olney's Hymns. 

Jesus spake also this parable : A certain man had a fig-tree 
planted in his vineyard ; and he came and sought fruit thereon 
and found none. 

Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these 
three years I came seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find 
none ; cut it down ; why cumbereth it the ground. 

And he, answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone this 
year also, till I shall dig about it and dung it. 

And if it bear fruit, well ; and if not, then after that thou 
shalt cut it down. 

O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days ; thy 
years are throughout all generations. 

The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 

If every year we would root out one vice, we should sooner 
become perfect men. — A Kempis. 

Alas ! length of days doth more often make our sins the 
greater than our lives the better. — A Kempis. 



NEW YEAR'S DAY. 321 

O send out thy light and thy truth ; let them lead me ; let 
them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. 

Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and 
Christ shall give thee light. 

See, then, that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as 
wise, redeeming the time ; and if ye call on the Father, who 
without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's 
work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. 

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought 
the will of the Gentiles. 

Wherefore, laying aside all malice, and all guile, and all 
envies, and all evil speakings ; 

Having your conversation honest, honor all men, love the 
brotherhood, fear God. 

Morning. 

OTHOU who art our Dwelling-place in all gen- 
erations, we rejoice in the light of this new 
day, and with grateful and devout minds we would 
acknowledge thy love in all the vicissitudes of our 
earthly lot, whether it be in the changing year, the 
procession of the seasons, summer and winter, day 
and night, or in our lives as we feel the motion of 
thy providence in time and events. O God, we 
thank thee, we bless thee, for that gentle influence 
and happy inclination of human life, by which our 
increasing days bring into our souls a deeper sense 
of the great spiritual realities, by which the glaring 
light of this world becomes softened, and the powers 
u* u 



322 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

of the world to come are manifest in the upper deep. 
In harmony with this spirit and temper of our life, 
as directed by thee, we would stand in reverence, 
gratitude, and joy upon the borders of a new year : 
with reverence, because of thy power mingled in the 
stream of our lives ; with gratitude, because of thy 
love ; with joy, because of our building of God, our 
house not made with hands. O God, as we feel the 
insecurity of all things below, may the bright foun- 
dations of the eternal city be firm and glorious. 
May we not repine at the swiftness of our mortal 
days, but live the life of the spirit in the eternal 
now of God. Whatever new experiences the past 
year has brought, may they descend in wisdom and 
blessing on teachable and childlike hearts. Help 
us to call to mind our errors, our follies, and our 
sins, and in penitence to seek thy forgiveness. 

We ask thy blessing upon us in the mutual con- 
gratulations and joys of the season. May they not 
be formal, but the warm and honest gush of good 
hearts, that love God and wish all his children well. 
O be patient with the thoughtless, and give them 
such experience as shall bring into their souls a 
subdued and steady strength. We would begin 
the year with new trust in thee ; and help us, 
O God, to bring our lives up to our thought. 
Amen. 



NEW YEARS DAY. 323 

Evening. 

ETERNAL God! thou who art the same yes- 
terday, to-day, and forever, and with whom is 
no variableness nor shadow of turning, to thee be 
glory and honor, dominion and power everlasting. 
We have entered upon the life of the new year, 
and tried the experiment of our new resolutions for 
the day that is now closing. Heavenly Father, has 
it been more acceptable in thy sight than the days 
of the year that is now past forever? Have we 
more earnestly worked, or more fondly prayed, or 
more glorified thy name through this day's life, than 
in that former time over which we now mourn? 
Help us to hear the answer of thy Holy Spirit, as 
it whispers to our souls its approbation or rebuke. 
For, O our Father, we would not live without grow- 
ing better and wiser and purer, through the disci- 
pline of our daily life, or without feeling, as time 
passes and days and years are numbered, that we 
are finding a harmonious residence in thy kingdom 
of Nature and Providence. We would learn to 
live more and more in the things which do not 
perish with the using, things which change not 
with time ; not in things which are seen, for they 
are temporal, but in things which are not seen, for 
they are eternal. To this end, bless our evening 
worship ; to this end sanctify all our experiences of 
joy or sorrow, that, while all things else grow old 



324 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

and die with the changing years, our lives may be 
calm, strong, and peaceful, because hid with Christ 
in God. May we find comfort and help in the 
tranquillity and immensity of thy creation, and feel 
ourselves a part of a beneficent order, wherein not 
an atom nor a star can perish. But O enable us to 
find a still higher consolation in the sweet thought 
that thou art with us, not only as thou art with the 
atom and the star, but as a father and friend, guid- 
ing and saving us. May we He down to sleep this 
night, feeling that all our sins have been forgiven, 
and that we may try the experiment of life anew 
on the morrow. Bless all who are dear to us ; and, 
when life's anxious scene is over, take us to thyself, 
and to thee shall be the glory forever. Amen. 



THANKSGIVING-DAY MORNING. 325 

XI. 
THANKSGIVING-DAY MORNING. 

All that spring with bounteous hand 
Scatters o'er the smiling land ; 
All that liberal autumn pours 
From her rich o'er/lowing stores ; 

These to thee, our God I we owe, 
Source whence all our blessings flow ! 
And for these our souls shall raise 
Grateful vows and solemn praise. 

Mks. Barbauld. 

The Lord said in his heart, While the earth remaineth, seed- 
time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, 
and day and night shall not cease. 

Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both 
the former and the latter, in his season; he reserveth unto 
us the appointed weeks of his harvest. 

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory 
be above all the earth. 

What thanks can we render to God ? 

Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that 
is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. 

In psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and 
making melody in your heart to the Lord. 

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the 
Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus. 

Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits 
of all thine increase. 



326 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty. 

And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the 
name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with 
you. 

O merciful Father, give me grace for the time to come to 
observe and to value thy kindnesses, as becomes one who has 
received so much more than he deserves. — Wilson. 



ALMIGHTY and most merciful God : thou who 
art the Fountain of all blessedness and the 
Giver of every good and every perfect gift, with 
grateful hearts we come before thee to acknowledge 
thy goodness and to ascribe praise to thy great and 
holy name. We thank thee that thou hast per- 
mitted us to behold the light of another morning. 
We thank thee for another return of this day in 
which we are to commemorate the tokens of thy 
love to us, and for all its sacred interests and asso- 
ciations. 

How precious have been thy thoughts unto us, 
O God, how great has been the sum of them. We 
praise thee, we bless thee, that thou hast given us 
peace within our borders, and health in our habita- 
tion ; that thou hast preserved to us the privileges 
of civil and religious liberty ; that thou hast fulfilled 
thy promise of old, that, while the earth remaineth, 
seed-time and harvest shall never cease ; that thou 
hast afforded us so many opportunities for useful- 



THANKSGIVING-DAY MORNING. 327 

ness, for improvement, and for happiness. How 
constant has been thy care, how ceaseless thy prov- 
idence, how unremitting thy love. We would call 
upon our souls and all that is within us to praise 
thee and to bless thy name forevermore. 

Impress upon our minds more deeply, we beseech 
thee, O God, our dependence upon thee. Enable 
us to realize more fully that it is in thee we live 
and move and have our being; that we are in- 
debted to thee for all our privileges and all our 
enjoyments; for the sacred interests of home; for 
the pleasures of social intercourse ; for opportuni- 
ties for doing good; for the means of grace and 
the hope of glory. 

Wilt thou continue thy favors to us, O Father ? 
and lead us into the paths of righteousness, truth, 
and peace. 

We would remember before thee our friends, and 
all who are near and dear to us; and whatsoever 
things we ask for ourselves, we beseech thee to 
grant unto them. 

And may thy kingdom come, and thy will be 
done here on earth as it is done in heaven. And 
unto thee, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, shall 
be given all praise evermore. A men. 



328 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

XII. 
THANKSGIVING-DAT EVENING. 

Great Source of unexhausted good, 

Who giv'st us health and friends and food, 

And peace, and calm content, 

Like fragrant incense, to the skies, 

Let songs of grateful praises rise 

For all thy blessings lent. 

Exeter Coll. 

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose 
hope the Lord is. 

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters. 

Two things have I required of thee ; deny me them not. 

Remove me far from vanity and lies ; give me neither pov- 
erty nor riches ; feed me with food convenient for me. 

Lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord ? or 
lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of the Lord in 
vain. 

Keep me under the protection of thy good providence, and 
make me to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy name. 
— Wilson. 

Give me grace never to condemn thy providence ; let me 
adore the wisdom of thy conduct, the holiness of thy ways, 
and the power of thy grace. — Wilson. 

Trust in the Lord and do good ; so shalt thou dwell in the 
Lord, and verily thou shalt be fed. 

Consider the ravens ; for they neither sow nor reap ; which 



THANKSGIVING-DAY EVENING. 329 

neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them; 
how much more are ye better than the fowls. 

Seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, 
neither be ye of doubtful mind. 

But rather seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these 
things shall be added unto you. 

Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings 
among the people. 

Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; 
this is known in all the earth. 



WE thank thee, our Heavenly Father, for the 
enjoyments of this day. May our hearts 
rejoice in the Lord, and our souls be glad in the 
God of their salvation. Thou hast crowned the year 
with thy goodness, and under thy watchful provi- 
dence our paths are enriched with all things need- 
ful. Thou hast spread our table with thy bounties, 
and made our cups to run over. We desire to 
add to our happiness a holier joy, by acknowledging 
thee to be the Author of it and of all good. May 
our use of thy gifts not end in sensual enjoyment, 
may they be regarded as motives to gratitude, and 
as tokens of the love which blesses us always. 
May it be our prayer and earnest desire that thy 
kingdom may come in our hearts and our home, 
that kingdom which is not meat or drink, but 
righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 



330 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

And we pray that thy goodness, in the providence 
that every day sustains us, and blesses us in ways 
so manifold, may nourish in us a grateful and affec- 
tionate spirit, may lead us to repentance for our 
sins, and to a deep and living faith in thee. 

Thou hast permitted us to see each others' faces 
to-day in peace and happiness, and to spend the 
hours in glad and loving intercourse. May our 
love be quickened and our affections made purer 
by the happy memories of the day. May the joy 
we have felt abide in us, drawing us nearer in love 
and mutual kindness in the days to come, so that 
we shall be preparing, as time passes, for the per- 
fect communion, the unbroken friendship, and cease- 
less thanksgiving of heaven. 

We remember with tenderness and affection those 
with us in former years, but now gone from our 
earthly acquaintance. They are not lost, we do 
not mourn for them. We pray that thou wilt keep 
our love unwasted and unchanged till we meet 
them again in a better world. May we so live 
now that our souls may be in fellowship with their 
glorified spirits. 

O our Father, whose loving-kindness has given 
that for which we have so much reason to be thank- 
ful, let not our gratitude end with this day. May 
this be the emblem of each day to come, and may 
the spirit of this happy festival brighten and cheer 
our home as each new day reveals new proofs of 
thy love. 



FAST-DAY. 331 

Take us into thy holy keeping this night, may 
thine angels defend us. Let thy peace descend 
into our hearts, as sleep falls on our eyelids. We 
rest in thee, and thine everlasting arms are our 
refuge. Keep us in life or take us in death, that, 
living or dying, we may be ever with thee. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, through whom we 
know thee, our Father, we offer our prayer, and 
ascribe to thee and to him honor and glory and 
power now and evermore. Amen. 



XIII. 

FAST-DAT. 



Is this a fast, to keep 

The larder lean, 

And clean 
From fat ofneats and sheep f 

Is it to fast an hour, 

Or ragged to go, 

Or show 
A downcast look and sour f 

It is to fast from strife, 

From old debate 

And hate ; 
To circumcise thy life; 



332 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

To starve thy sin, 
Not bin : 
And that 's to keep thy Lent ! 

Herrick. 

Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders 
and all the inhabitants of the land unto the house of the Lord 
your God, and cry unto the Lord. 

Now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your 
heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourn- 
ing; 

And rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn 
unto the Lord your God ; for he is gracious and merciful, slow 
to anger, and of great kindness. 

Is not this the fast that I have chosen ? to loose the bands 
of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the 
oppressed go free ? 

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou 
bring the poor that are cast out to thy house ? 

To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord 
than sacrifice. 

Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Turn ye now from your evil 
ways, and from your evil doings. 

Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn 
unto you. 

These are the things that ye shall do ; speak ye every man 
the truth to his neighbor ; execute the judgment of truth and 
peace in your gates ; 

And let none imagine evil in your hearts, for these things I 
hate, saith the Lord. 

And the work of righteousness shall be peace ; and the 
effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. 

And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and 
in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places. 



FAST-DAY. 333 

Morning. 

IN a spirit of humility and contrition, we come 
into thy presence, O Lord, our Heavenly Fa- 
ther. We feel our dependence upon thee for all that 
we are and all that we have. We acknowledge 
our unworthiness, our weakness, and our sin. We 
are humiliated in our sense of defeat in many a 
struggle and conflict. Yet we know that thou art 
long-suffering with us, and full of compassion. 
Thine infinite pity reaches down to our low estate, 
and thou dost raise us from our despondency and 
doubt and sin. Like as a father pitieth his children, 
so dost thou pity us, thy children. As far as the 
east is from the west, so far dost thou remove our 
transgressions from us. May we feel thy pardon- 
ing mercy softening our hearts to penitence, and 
assuring us of a gracious forgiveness. 

We remember before thee the condition and 
needs of our beloved country. We feel, that, as 
a people, we have sinned in thy sight. We have 
forgotten thy holy laws. We have neglected thy 
commandments. In our love of the world, in our 
service of mammon, in our lust for power, we have 
forsaken thy statutes. We have followed the de- 
vices of our own hearts, and have sinned against thy 
perfect will. Deliver us, O Father from the fruit of 
our doings. Grant that our sins may not be laid up 
against us. Help us by a timely repentance, which 



334 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

shall be full of good works, to turn aside the conse- 
quences of our wrong-doings. Bring in upon us the 
blessings of an impartial freedom, and the righteous- 
ness of the kingdom of God. Make us faithful 
to the great duties before us, that in the genera- 
tions to come the land will be filled with thy glory 
and the happiness of all our brethren. May slav- 
ery and oppression come to an end throughout our 
borders. Hush all contention and strife, and fill 
the hearts of all our people with that peace which 
passeth understanding, and which shall keep us 
from all evil evermore. 

Graciously remember thy servant, the President 
of the United States, and all who are joined with 
him in counsel and authority. Be a safeguard and 
a shield to our armies and to those that are afar off 
upon the sea. Guide with wisdom the Governor 
of our Commonwealth and his associates in the 
service of the State. Be with all kings and prin- 
ces, and all peoples and tribes and nations on the 
face of the whole earth, and fill the world with 
the glory and goodness of thy holy name. 

May our penitence, our piety, and our prayerful- 
ness, our fidelity, our firmness in all things good, and 
our faith in thee, work out for us a complete salvation 
from every sin, and an abundant entrance into thy 
kingdom above. We offer our petitions and ask 
thy blessing and thy help forevermore, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



FAST-BAY. 335 

Evening. 

OTHOU who art our God, as thou hast been 
the God of our fathers, we would bow our- 
selves before thee with penitent and contrite hearts. 
We acknowledge our transgressions. We have 
sinned against heaven and in thy sight. We de- 
serve thy chastisements. Look down upon us, we 
beseech thee, not in judgment, but in mercy. Re- 
member not the sins of our youth nor our trans- 
gressions ; save us from our sins, and blot out all 
our iniquities. According to thy mercy, remem- 
ber thou us for thy goodness' sake, O Lord. 

Look in kindness on our country. As a people 
we thank thee for all that thou hast been to us and 
our fathers. We praise and bless thee for the gifts 
of thy love and the privileges which thou hast 
bestowed upon us, — for this goodly land, for the 
abundance with which thou hast crowned our la- 
bors, for our government, with its benign and pro- 
tecting care over us, for the blessings of civil and 
religious liberty, for our social advantages, for our 
schools and churches, for the Christian homes in 
which we have been nurtured, for the means of 
grace, and the hope of glory. 

While we thank thee for these thy gifts and 
mercies, we confess, with humiliation and sorrow, 
that we have not improved as we ought the oppor- 
tunities and privileges which thou hast bestowed, 



336 SPECIAL SERVICES. 

that we have been less careful to impart thy gifts 
to others than to appropriate them to ourselves, and 
that we have not accepted and taken home to our 
hearts, as we ought, thine offers of grace and par- 
don and eternal life in Jesus Christ. Forgive us, 
we entreat thee, all this our unworthiness. May 
we truly repent of our sins. And grant that, 
in all time to come, we may be more faithful and 
true to thee, that we may love thee with a more 
earnest love, and give ourselves to thee in our daily 
life with a more hearty and entire devotion. Turn 
from us, O God, those judgments which we most 
truly have deserved. Save our country from the 
dangers impending over it. Grant that our rulers 
and lawgivers and judges may be wise and just. 
May we extend to all within our borders the advan- 
tages of liberty and law which we ask for ourselves, 
and so live as a people, that we may be a joy and a 
blessing among the families of the earth, that thy 
peace may be within our walls, thy prosperity within 
our palaces, and that the blessing of those who are 
ready to perish may go with us, through the riches 
of thy love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



THE END. 



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